Minnesota's Constitutional Routes

Minnesota's Constitutional Routes

These Constitutional Routes (abbreviated CR) are the original marked state trunk highways established after passage of the Babcock Amendment to the Minnesota Constitution in 1920. These routes are fixed, in the sense that their beginning and end points, as well as any towns named in the description, cannot be bypassed by a state trunk highway. It is somewhat unclear how close a route must come to a town, however. Clearly, a downtown bypass is OK, but can it totally bypass the city limits as long as it comes close? There is nothing preventing MnDOT from moving a constitutional route onto another, separately authorized route, as long as the route continuity is maintained. Thus, interstate highways have for the most part replaced the original constitutional routes as the only trunk highway along many stretches of road in Minnesota, bypassing most of the towns through which the original routes passed.

MnDOT has turned back portions of some of these routes to counties, which it can do as long as the route continuity criteria described above are met. This has resulted in a few instances of the constitutional route changing its route significantly. One example is CR 50. Its north endpoint is Minneapolis, and it must pass through Farmington. MnDOT turned back MN-50 west of Farmington without establishing a new route for CR 50. However, there are several possible combinations of trunk highways one could follow from Farmington to Minneapolis, so even though all of these routes are authorized under other legislative or constitutional route numbers, the continuity of CR 50 is still met. In at least two instances, the original roadway has been turned backed in its entirety, but other separately defined trunk highways exist that meet the route criteria of the constitutional route.

In the discussions below, modern-day state route markings are abbreviated MN-xx, while pre-1934 state route markings are indicated as trunk highway (TH-xx).

Route	From (CR = Constitutional Route) {marked rte no.}	To {marked rte no.}	Major Cities	Original (1926-34) U.S. Route markings if any	Current markings/status
Route	From (CR = Constitutional Route) {marked rte no.}	To {marked rte no.}	Major Cities	(parentheses indicate segments superseded by other separately authorized routes or not defined by current routes )
1	Iowa Border	St. Paul S. city limits	Albert Lea, Owatonna, Faribault, Farmington, St. Paul	(1926) U.S. 65	U.S. 65 to Albert Lea, (I-35) to Faribault, MN-3 and MN-149 to St. Paul.
	St. Paul N. city limits	Duluth S. city limits	St. Paul, Wyoming, Hinckley, Sandstone, Moose Lake, Carlton, Duluth	(1926) U.S. 61	U.S. 61 to Wyoming, (I-35), MN-23 loop through Hinckley, (I-35), MN-73/27 loop through Moose Lake, (I-35), MN-210/45 loop through Carlton, (I-35).
	Duluth N. city limits	Canadian Border	Duluth, Two Harbors, Silver Bay, Grand Marais	(1926) U.S. 61	MN-61
2	North Dakota Border	CR 1 {I-35} (duplex to Duluth city limits)	Moorhead, Detroit Lakes, Motley, Brainerd, Carlton, Duluth	(1926) U.S. 10, U.S. 210	U.S. 10, MN-210
3	North Dakota Border	Minneapolis city limits	Breckenridge, Fergus Falls, Elbow Lake, Alexandria, Sauk Centre, St. Cloud, Elk River, Anoka, Minneapolis	(1926-33) U.S. 10S, U.S. 10 (1934) U.S. 59, U.S. 52, U.S. 10/52, U.S. 52	MN-210 to Fergus Falls; (I-94), U.S. 59, MN-79, (I-94), MN-23, U.S. 10, U.S. 169, (unspecified trunk highways to Mpls city limits due to route turnbacks)
3	St. Paul city limits	Wisconsin border	St. Paul, Hastings, Red Wing, Wabasha, Winona, LaCrescent	(1926) U.S. 61	U.S. 61
4	Iowa Border	CR 11 {MN-11} at Intl Falls	Jackson, Windom, Redwood Falls, Willmar, Paynesville, Sauk Centre, Wadena, Park Rapids, Bemidji, Int'l Falls	(1926) U.S. 71	U.S. 71, MN-23, MN-4, U.S. 71
5	Iowa Border	Mpls S. city limits	Blue Earth, Mankato, St. Peter, Shakopee, Minneapolis	(1932) U.S. 169	U.S. 169, MN-22, U.S. 169, (unspecified trunk highways to Mpls city limits due to route turnbacks)
5	Mpls N city limits	CR 8 {U.S. 2} at Swan River	Minneapolis, Cambridge, Mora, McGregor		MN-65, MN-107, MN-70, MN-65
6	Iowa Border	Canadian Border	Luverne, Pipestone, Lake Benton, Madison, Ortonville, Wheaton, Breckenridge, Moorhead, Ada, Crookston, Warren, Hallock	(1926) U.S. 75	U.S. 75, MN-200, MN-9, U.S. 75
7	South Dakota Border	CR 3 {U.S. 61}at Winona	Lake Benton, Tracy, New Ulm, St. Peter, Mankato, Waseca, Owatonna, Rochester, Winona	(1926) U.S. 14	U.S. 14, MN-99, U.S. 169, U.S. 14
Note: On historic maps, there is a discrepancy between defined CR 7 and marked (1920-33) TH 7. CR 7 as defined passes through St. Peter, which would require it to run from Nicollet east over present-day MN-99 to St. Peter. On all early maps, however, marked TH 7 (even preceding the establishment of U.S. 14) runs from Nicollet southeast directly to Mankato over present-day U.S. 14. The segment between Nicollet and St. Peter is shown as marked TH 21 even though defined CR 21 has its westerly end at St. Peter. The only legal way to have done this would have been to run CR 5 from St. Peter to Nicollet and mark it TH 21, then southeast to Mankato marked as TH 7. CR 7 would then be able to run east to St. Peter duplexed with CR 5, then south to Mankato marked as TH 5.
8	North Dakota Border	Duluth city limits	E. Grand Forks, Crookston, Bemidji, Grand Rapids, Duluth	(1926) U.S. 2	U.S. 2, MN-194, U.S. 53
9	South Dakota Border	Wisconsin Border	Luverne, Worthington, Jackson, Blue Earth, Albert Lea, Austin, Preston, LaCrescent	(1926) U.S. 16	(I-90), MN-13, (U.S. 65), (I-35), (I-90), MN-16, MN-80, MN-16
10	South Dakota Border	Minneapolis city limits	Wheaton, Morris, Benson, Willmar, Litchfield, Minneapolis	(1926) U.S. 12	MN-55, MN-9, U.S. 12, I-394
11	CR 6 {U.S. 75}at Donaldson	Duluth city limits	Roseau, Warroad, Baudette, Intl. Falls, Virginia, Duluth	(1932-33) U.S. 169 Virginia -- Int. Falls (1934) U.S. 53	MN-11, U.S. 53
12	CR 6 {U.S. 75}at Madison	Minneapolis city limits	Montevideo, Granite Falls, Olivia, Glencoe, Chaska, Hopkins, Minneapolis	(1926) U.S. 212 to Montevideo (1934) U.S. 212 to Chaska	U.S. 212, MN-41, MN-7 (unspecified trunk highways to Mpls city limits due to route turnback)
12	St. Paul city limits	Wisconsin Border	St. Paul	(1926) U.S. 10-12 (1934) U.S. 12	(I-94) U.S. 12 not signed
13	CR 9 {I-94 @ MN-13} at Albert Lea	CR 5 {U.S. 169} at Jordan	Albert Lea, Waseca, New Prague, Jordan		MN-13, MN-21
14	CR 6 {U.S. 75}at Ivanhoe	CR 22 {MN-22} at Gaylord	Marshall, Redwood Falls, Gaylord		MN-19
15	Iowa Border	CR 14 {MN-19} at Winthrop	Fairmont, New Ulm		MN-15
16	CR 9 {I-90} at Worthington	CR 5 {U.S. 169} near Lake Crystal	Worthington, Fulda, Windom, St. James, Lake Crystal	(1934) U.S. 59	U.S. 59, MN-62, MN-60
17	CR 16 {U.S. 59 @ MN-62} at Fulda	CR 48 {MN-67} near Granite Falls	Fulda, Slayton, Marshall, Granite Falls	(1934) U.S. 59	U.S. 59
18	CR 3 {U.S. 10} at Elk River	CR 2 {MN-210} at Brainerd	Elk River, Princeton, Milaca, Onamia, Garrison, Brainerd	(1932) U.S. 169	U.S. 169, MN-18
19	CR 2 {MN-210} at Brainerd	CR 8 {U.S. 2} at Cass Lake	Brainerd, Walker, Cass Lake	(1932) U.S. 371	MN-371
20	Iowa Border	CR 3 {U.S. 61} S of Hastings	Canton, Preston, Rochester, Cannon Falls	(1926-33) U.S. 55 (1934) U.S. 52	U.S. 52, MN-20
21	CR 5 {U.S. 169}at St. Peter	CR 1 {MN-3} at Faribault	St. Peter, LeSueur, Montgomery, Faribault,		MN-99, MN-21 (See note under CR 7)
22	CR 5 {U.S. 169}at St. Peter	CR 4 {MN-23}at Paynesville	St. Peter, Gaylord, Glencoe, Litchfield, Paynesville		MN-22, MN-55
23	CR 4 {MN-23}at Paynesville	CR 1 {I-35} near Hinckley	Paynesville, St. Cloud, Milaca, Mora, Hinckley		MN-23
24	CR 10 {U.S. 12}at Litchfield	CR 3 {MN-23} at St. Cloud	Litchfield, St. Cloud		MN-24, MN-15
25	CR 5 {U.S. 169}at Belle Plaine	CR 3 {U.S. 10}at Big Lake	Belle Plaine, Watertown, Buffalo, Big Lake		MN-25
26	CR 6 {U.S. 75} E of Ortonville	CR 10 {MN-9} at Benson	Ortonville, Appleton, Benson	U.S. 12	MN-7, U.S. 59, U.S. 12
27	CR 3 {MN-23} at St. Cloud	CR 2 {MN-210} at Brainerd	St. Cloud, Little Falls, Brainerd	(1926-33)U.S.10N (1934) U.S. 10, (1932) U.S. 371	U.S. 10, MN-371
28	S.D. Border	CR 27 {U.S. 10}at Little Falls	Browns Valley, Morris, Glenwood, Sauk Centre, Little Falls		MN-28, MN-27
29	CR 28 {MN-28}at Glenwood	CR 2 {U.S. 10}at Wadena	Glenwood, Alexandria, Wadena		MN-29
30	CR 3 {I-94 @ MN-210} at Fergus Falls	CR 8 {U.S. 2} at Erskine	Fergus Falls, Detroit Lakes	(1926-33)U.S.10S short segment W of Fergus Falls (1934) U.S. 52/59, U.S. 59	U.S. 59
31	CR 6 {MN-200 @ MN-9} at Ada	CR 30 {U.S. 59} at Mahnomen	Ada, Mahnomen		MN-200
32	CR 8 {U.S. 2} S of Red Lake Falls	CR 11 {MN-11} at Greenbush	Red Lake Falls, Thief River Falls		MN-32
33	CR 6 {U.S. 75} at Warren	CR 32 {MN-32}at Thief River Falls	Warren, Thief River Falls		MN-1
34	CR 2 {U.S. 10} at Detroit Lakes	CR 8 {U.S. 2} near Cohasset	Detroit Lakes, Walker, Remer		MN-34, MN-200, MN-6
35	CR 18 {U.S. 169 @ MN-18} at Garrison	Ely	Garrison, Aitkin, Grand Rapids, Hibbing, Chisholm, Virginia, Tower, Ely	(1932) U.S. 169	U.S. 169, MN-135, MN-169
36	CR 3 {I-94} at Fergus Falls	CR 29 {MN-29} near Wadena	Fergus Falls, Henning		MN-210
37	CR 27 {U.S. 10 @ MN-371} at Little Falls	CR 2 {U.S. 10 @ MN-210}at Motley	Little Falls, Motley	(1926-33) U.S. 10N (1934) U.S. 10	U.S. 10
38	CR 12 {U.S. 212} at Montevideo	CR 28 {MN-28}W of Glenwood	Montevideo, Benson		MN-29
39	CR 9 {I-90}W of Alden	CR 5 {U.S. 169}at Mankato	Wells, Mapleton, Mankato		MN-22
40	Iowa Border	CR 1 {I-35} at Owatonna	Austin, Blooming Prairie, Owatonna	(1928) U.S. 218	U.S. 218
41	CR 40 {U.S. 218} at Blooming Prairie	CR 56 {MN-56}at Hayfield	Blooming Prairie		MN-30
42	CR 7 {U.S. 14} near Eyota	CR 3 {U.S. 61}at Kellogg	Plainview, Kellogg		MN-42
43	CR 9 {MN-16}at Rushford	CR 3 {U.S. 61}at Winona	Rushford, Winona		MN-43
44	CR 20 {U.S. 52} at Canton	CR 9 {MN-16}at Hokah	Caledonia		MN-44
45	St. Paul city limits	Wisconsin Border	St. Paul, Lake Elmo, Stillwater		MN-5, MN-36
46	CR 1 {U.S. 61} near Wyoming	Wisconsin Border	Wyoming, Center City, Taylors Falls	U.S. 8	U.S. 8
47	CR 6 {U.S. 75}at Pipestone	CR 17 {U.S. 59}at Slayton	Pipestone, Lake Wison, Slayton		MN-30
48	CR 6 {U.S. 75}at Canby	CR 12 {U.S. 212}at Granite Falls	Canby, Granite Falls		MN-67
49	CR 12 {U.S. 212} at Montevideo	CR 10 {U.S. 12} at Willmar	Montevideo, Clara City, Willmar	(1926-33) U.S. 212	MN-7, MN-23
50	CR 20 {U.S. 52 @ MN-20}at Cannon Falls	Minneapolis city limits	Cannon Falls, Farmington, Minneapolis	(1926-33) U.S. 55 (1934) U.S. 52, U.S. 65	U.S. 52, MN-50 to Farmington, (undefined trunk highways to Minneapolis city limits due to route turnbacks)
51	CR 5 {U.S. 169}at Shakopee	CR 12 {U.S. 212}at Chaska	Shakopee, Chaska	(1932) U.S. 169, U.S. 212	Due to route turnbacks in Shakopee area, must now run concurrently with L.R. 260 (MN-41)
52	CR 5 {U.S. 169}at Eden Prairie	St. Paul city limits	Bloomington, St. Paul		(I-494), MN-5
53	CR 3 {U.S. 61}at Hastings	So. St. Paul city limits	Hastings, So St. Paul		MN-55, U.S. 52, (I-494), MN-156
54	CR 10 {MN-9}at Herman	CR 3 {U.S. 59}at Elbow Lake	Herman, Elbow Lake		MN-55, MN-54
55	CR 1 {I-35}at Carlton	Cloquet	Carlton, Cloquet		With turnback of MN-45, must run concurrently with L.R. 164 (MN-33) to Cloquet
56	CR 9 {I-90}E of Austin	CR 21 {MN-60}at Kenyon	Dodge Center, Kenyon		MN-56
57	CR 7 {U.S. 14} south of Mantorville	Mantorville	Mantorville		MN-57
58	CR 20 {U.S. 52}at Zumbrota	CR 3 {U.S. 61}at Red Wing	Zumbrota, Red Wing		MN-58
59	Iowa Border	CR 3 {U.S. 61}at Lake City	Spring Valley, Rochester, Lake City	(1934) U.S. 63	U.S. 63
60	CR 7 {U.S. 14} at Eagle Lake	CR 1 {I-35}at Faribault	Waterville, Faribault		MN-60
61	CR 8 {U.S. 2} at Deer River	CR 4 {U.S. 71}at Big Falls	Deer River, Big Falls		MN-6
62	CR 3 {U.S. 10 @ U.S. 169}at Anoka	St. Paul city limits	Anoka, St. Paul	U.S. 10	U.S. 10
63	Minneapolis city limits	CR 1 {U.S. 61}at Forest Lake	Minneapolis, Forest Lake	U.S. 8	(I-35W, I-35), MN-97
64	CR 6 {U.S. 75}at Moorhead	CR 30 {U.S. 59} W of Fergus Falls	Moorhead, Barnesville, Fergus Falls	(1926) U.S. 10S (1934) U.S. 52	(I-94)
65	CR 32 {MN-32}at Red Lake Falls	CR 8 {U.S. 2}at Bagley	Red Lake Falls, Clearbrook, Bagley		MN-92
66	CR 12 {U.S. 212} at Montevideo	CR 26 {U.S. 59 @ MN-7}at Appleton	Montevideo, Appleton	(1934) U.S. 59	U.S. 59
67	CR 48 {MN-67} at Granite Falls	CR 14 {MN-19} W of Redwood Falls	Granite Falls		MN-67
68	CR 6 {U.S. 75}at Canby	CR 14 {MN-19}at Marshall	Canby, Marshall		MN-68
69	CR 22 {MN-22}at Eden Valley	CR 25 {MN-25}at Buffalo	Maple Lake, Buffalo		MN-55
70	CR 7 {U.S. 14} at Sleepy Eye	CR 12 {U.S. 212} at Hector	Sleepy Eye, Fairfax, Hector		MN-4

Note that for consistency I have defined routes from their south or west termini, even though the Constitutional Route descriptions are not consistent in the direction in which routes are defined.

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First uploaded March 5, 1998

Updated January 12, 2003