U.S. Highway 61 - Divided Highway Upgrade Timeline

Dates generally refer to the year of contract completion given on the highway construction project logs. Projects listed are the initial upgrades, and do not include subsequent reconstructions. Projects for each year are listed from south to north. Each upgrade project is labeled with the region of U.S. 61's route it was contained in (SE, C, or NE).

This timeline also includes sections of U.S. 61 moved onto Interstate Highways - dates for these moves do not necessarily represent the year of interstate construction.

The earliest divided upgrades on U.S. 61 were generally done on short stretches of highway, either within large towns, or at major junctions. Upgrades were made in downtown Red Wing (1920), Hastings (1927), in White Bear Lake (1937), and on the south side of Forest Lake at the junction with U.S. 8 (1937).

The first long stretches upgraded were on either end of the highway between La Crosse and St. Paul, including between Hudson Road and a point just south of Highwood Avenue in the late 1930's, and between the Wisconsin State Line and La Crescent in 1941.

The latest stretch upgraded was the highway west of Red Wing in Goodhue County, upgraded from State Highway 19 through the Cannon River Valley to the south junction with State Highway 316, completed in the mid 1990's.

Geographic Timeline (South to North)

Modern U.S. 61

1941 - Wisconsin State Line to the north side of La Crescent - 2.36 miles.
1964 - North side of La Crescent to Dakota (including section on I-90) - 8.22 miles.
1958 - Dakota to the junction with State Highway 43 at Winona - 15.35 miles.
1957- Jct. with State Hwy. 43 at Winona to Just southeast of Minnesota City - 7.14 miles.
1978 - Minnesota City to Whitman.
1965 - At Whitman between Minnesota City and MInneiska - 0.97 miles.
1978 - Whitman to Minneiska.
1965 - Just south of the Winona / Wabasha County Line at Minneiska to just south of Weaver - 3.01 miles.
1974 - Just south of Weaver to just south of the junction with State Highway 42 at Kellogg - aprox. 7.8 miles.
1970 - Just south of the junction with State Highway 42 at Kellogg to Squaw Valley Road between Kellogg and Wabasha - aprox. 2.9 miles.
1974 - Squaw Valley Road to just south of State Highway 60 at Wabasha - aprox. 3.2 miles.
1970 - Just south of the junction with State Highway 60 at Wabasha to just north of the junction with Wabasha County Road 10 - aprox. 2.2 miles.
GAP - Undivided section between Wabasha and Lake City along the south shore of Lake Pepin.
1954 - On the north side of Lake City, north from the Wabasha / Goodhue County Line to near Central Point Road - 0.78 miles.
GAP - Undivided section between Lake City and Red Wing.
1963 - State Training School on the east end of Red Wing to Potter Street in downtown - 1.76 miles.
GAP - Undivided section on Main Street in downtown Red Wing.
1920 - Main Street in Red Wing, between Cedar and Franklin Streets (center island removed in 1953) - 0.17 miles.
1953 - At Red Wing, from downtown to County Road 53 - 2.46 miles.
1976 - Slight western extension of divided Highway at Red Wing, from County Road 53 to Spring Creek - aprox. 0.20 miles.
1983 - West side of Red Wing, from Spring Creek to the junction with Highway 19 - aprox. 2.6 miles.
1994 - State Hwy. 19 to County Road 18 west of Red Wing - aprox. 2.7 miles.
1997 - County Road 18 to just west of the south junction with State Hwy. 316 west of Red Wing - aprox. 6 miles.
GAP - Undivided section between the junctions with Highway 316 in southeastern Dakota County.
1983 - South side of Hastings, from Canon Street to the Vermillion River - 0.891 miles.
1927 - Vermillion Street in Hastings, between the Vermillion River and 2nd (Main) Street. - 1.3 miles.
GAP - Undivided section on the Hastings High Bridge.
1979 - Hastings High Bridge to the bottom of the hill out of the Mississippi River bottoms - aprox. 0.60 miles.
1958 - Mississippi River bottoms north of Hastings to Newport - 10.86 miles.
1949 - Newport to Highwood Avenue in St. Paul - aprox. 3.33 miles.
1940 - Highwood Avenue to the junction with U.S. 12 in St. Paul - Aprox. 3.5 miles.
1947/48 - Junction with U.S. 12 to Mounds Blvd in St. Paul - aprox .75 miles.
1966 - Mounds Boulevard in St. Paul, from the interchange with I-94 to Kellogg Boulevard - aprox. 0.1 miles.
1975 - Mounds Boulevard in St. Paul, from Kellogg Boulevard to E 7th Street - aprox 0.25 miles.
GAP - Undivided section on E 7th and Arcade Streets in St. Paul.
1953 - From Wheelock Parkway in St. Paul to White Bear Lake - 7.8 miles.
1937 - In White Bear Lake, from Eighth Street to Stewart Avenue on the north side of town - Aprox. 0.46 miles.
1957 - Northern extension of the divided highway at White Bear Lake - 1.00 mile.
GAP - Undivided section between White Bear Lake and Forest Lake.
1957 - Southern extension of the divided highway on the south side of Forest Lake - 0.54 miles.
1937 - On the south side of Forest Lake, from just south of the junction with U.S. 8 to about South Shore Drive. - 1.47 miles.
1954 - Slight northern extension of the divided highway on the south side of Forest Lake - .05 miles.
GAP - Undivided section in downtown Forest Lake.
1949 - On the north side of Forest Lake, from 2nd Ave NE to just north of the modern junction with U.S. 8 - 0.78 miles.
GAP - Undivided section between Forest Lake and Wyoming.

Retired Section North of Wyoming

1969 - Duplex with I-35, from exit 135 at Wyoming to exit 169 at Pine City. - 33.85 miles.
1965 - Duplex with I-35, from exit 169 at Pine City, to exit 191 at Sandstone. - 21.8 miles.
1962 - Duplex with I-35, from exit 180 south of Hinckley to exit 195 north of Sandstone. Temporary upgrade, U.S. 61 moved off of this duplex with I-35 in 1963.
1967 - Duplex with I-35, from exit 191 at Sandstone to exit 214 at Moose Lake.- 23.3 miles.
1970 - Duplex with I-35, from exit 214 at Moose Lake to Carlton County Road 5 at Otter Creek. - 17.1 miles.
1967 - Duplex with I-35, from Otter Creek (at Carlton Co. Rd. 5, a temporary ramp) to exit 235 west of Carlton. - 3.7 miles.
1974 - Duplex with I-35, from exit 235 west of Carlton to exit 239 at Scanlon - 3.7 miles.
1948 - At the junction with U.S. 210 and Highway 33 west of Carlton - 0.16 miles.
1966 - At the junction with U.S. 210 (now MN 210) and I-35 west of Carlton - 0.29 miles.
1966 - At the junction with I-35 at Scanlon - 0.49 miles.
1954 - Scanlon to just east of the St. Louis River - 0.62 miles
1949 - From the St. Louis River east of Scanlon to the Duluth City Limits - 9.71 miles.
1957 - West city limits of Duluth to 64th Avenue West - Aprox. 2.75 miles.
1961 - Cody Street in Duluth, between 63rd and 58th Avenue West - aprox .3 miles.
1972 - Duplex with I-35, from the Cody Avenue exit to the east junction at the Mesaba Avenue interchange in downtown Duluth.
1978 - In Downtown Duluth - Divided section on Mesaba Ave, plus two one-way streets (2nd Street, 3rd Street, 12th Ave. E, 14th Ave. E). - aprox 2 miles.
GAP - Undivided section on London Road in Duluth.
1967 - Just east of the Lester River on the east end of Duluth to Palmers - 9.65 miles.
1965 - From Palmers to Two Harbors - 9.46 miles.
GAP - Undivided section between Two Harbors and the Beaver River Bridge.
1962 - At the north end of the Beaver River Bridge - 0.05 miles.
GAP - Undivided section between the Beaver River Bridge and the Canadian border.
1963 - At the Canadian border - 0.66 miles.

Timeline

1920

SE - Main Street in Red Wing, between Cedar and Franklin Streets (center island removed in 1953) - 0.17 miles.

1927

SE - Vermillion Street in Hastings, between the Vermillion River and 2nd (Main) Street. - 1.3 miles.

1937

C - In White Bear Lake, from Eighth Street to Stewart Avenue on the north side of town - Aprox. 0.46 miles.
C - On the south side of Forest Lake, from just south of the junction with U.S. 8 to about South Shore Drive. - 1.47 miles.

ca. 1940

SE - Highwood Avenue to the junction with U.S. 12 in St. Paul - Aprox. 3.5 miles.

1941

SE - Wisconsin State Line to the north side of La Crescent - 2.36 miles.

ca. 1947/48

SE - Junction with U.S. 12 to Mounds Blvd in St. Paul - aprox .75 miles.

1948

C - At the junction with U.S. 210 and Highway 33 west of Carlton - 0.16 miles.

1949

SE - Newport to Highwood Avenue in St. Paul - aprox. 3.33 miles.
C - On the north side of Forest Lake, from 2nd Ave NE to just north of the modern junction with U.S. 8 - 0.78 miles.
C - From the St. Louis River east of Scanlon to the Duluth City Limits - 9.71 miles.

1953

SE - At Red Wing, from downtown to County Road 53 - 2.46 miles.
C - From Wheelock Parkway in St. Paul to White Bear Lake - 7.8 miles.

1954

SE - On the north side of Lake City, north from the Wabasha / Goodhue County Line to near Central Point Road - 0.78 miles.
C - Slight northern extension of the divided highway on the south side of Forest Lake - .05 miles.
C - Scanlon to just east of the St. Louis River - 0.62 miles

1957

SE - Jct. with State Hwy. 43 at Winona to just southeast of Minnesota City - 7.14 miles.
C - Northern extension of the divided highway at White Bear Lake - 1.00 mile.
C - Southern extension of the divided highway on the south side of Forest Lake - 0.54 miles.
C - West city limits of Duluth to 64th Avenue West - Aprox. 2.75 miles.

1958

SE - Dakota to the junction with State Highway 43 at Winona - 15.35 miles.
SE - Mississippi River bottoms north of Hastings to Newport - 10.86 miles.

1961

C - Cody Street in Duluth, between 63rd and 58th Avenue West - aprox .3 miles.

1962

C - Duplex with I-35, from exit 180 south of Hinckley to exit 195 north of Sandstone. Temporary upgrade, U.S. 61 moved off of this duplex with I-35 in 1963.
NE - At the north end of the Beaver River Bridge - 0.05 miles.

1963

SE - State Training School on the east end of Red Wing to Potter Street in downtown - 1.76 miles.
NE - At the Canadian border - 0.66 miles.

1964

SE - North side of La Crescent to Dakota (including section on I-90) - 8.22 miles.

1965

SE - At Whitman between Minnesota City and MInneiska - 0.97 miles.
SE - Just south of the Winona / Wabasha County Line at Minneiska to just south of Weaver - 3.01 miles.
C - Duplex with I-35, from exit 169 at Pine City, to exit 191 at Sandstone. - 21.8 miles.
NE - From Palmers to Two Harbors - 9.46 miles.

1966

SE - Mounds Boulevard in St. Paul, from the interchange with I-94 to Kellogg Boulevard - aprox. 0.1 miles.
C - At the junction with U.S. 210 (now MN 210) and I-35 west of Carlton - 0.29 miles.
C - At the junction with I-35 at Scanlon - 0.49 miles.

1967

C - Duplex with I-35, from exit 191 at Sandstone to exit 214 at Moose Lake.- 23.3 miles.
C - Duplex with I-35, from Otter Creek (at Carlton Co. Rd. 5, a temporary ramp) to exit 235 west of Carlton. - 3.7 miles.
NE - Just east of the Lester River on the east end of Duluth to Palmers - 9.65 miles.

1969

C - Duplex with I-35, from exit 135 at Wyoming to exit 169 at Pine City. - 33.85 miles.

1970

SE - Just south of the junction with State Highway 42 at Kellogg to Squaw Valley Road between Kellogg and Wabasha - aprox. 2.9 miles.
SE - Just south of the junction with State Highway 60 at Wabasha to just north of the junction with Wabasha County Road 10 - aprox. 2.2 miles.
C - Duplex with I-35, from exit 214 at Moose Lake to Carlton County Road 5 at Otter Creek. - 17.1 miles.

1972

C - Duplex with I-35, from the Cody Avenue exit to the east junction at the Mesaba Avenue interchange in downtown Duluth.

1973

SE - Squaw Valley Road to just south of State Highway 60 at Wabasha - aprox. 3.2 miles.

1974

SE - Just south of Weaver to just south of the junction with State Highway 42 at Kellogg - aprox. 7.8 miles.
C - Duplex with I-35, from exit 235 west of Carlton to exit 239 at Scanlon - 3.7 miles.

1975

SE - Mounds Boulevard in St. Paul, from Kellogg Boulevard to E 7th Street - aprox 0.25 miles.

1976

SE - Slight western extension of divided Highway at Red Wing, from County Road 53 to Spring Creek - aprox. 0.20 miles.

1978

SE - Minnesota City to Minneiska (less the section at Whitman) - aprox. 9.66 miles.
C - In Downtown Duluth - Divided section on Mesaba Ave, plus two one-way streets (2nd Street, 3rd Street, 12th Ave. E, 14th Ave. E). - aprox 2 miles.

1979

SE - Hastings High Bridge to the bottom of the hill out of the Mississippi River bottoms - aprox. 0.60 miles.

1983

SE - West side of Red Wing, from Spring Creek to the junction with Highway 19 - aprox. 2.6 miles.
SE - South side of Hastings, from Canon Street to the Vermillion River - 0.891 miles.

1994

SE - State Hwy. 19 to County Road 18 west of Red Wing - aprox. 2.7 miles.

1997

SE - County Road 18 to just west of the south junction with State Hwy. 316 west of Red Wing - aprox. 6 miles.