South Segment
South terminus: Scott-Carver County line just south of U.S. 212 at Chaska
Previously --- MN-13 at Savage (1934-95) - original southerly terminus of continuous route [until opening of U.S. 169 Shakopee bypass]
North terminus: Carver-Hennepin County Line at Chanhassen (1998- )
Previously --- U.S. 12 at Wayzata (1988-98)

Counties: Carver

Length: 10

North Segment
South terminus: I-94 (exit 207) at Rogers (since route was split in 1988)
North terminus: U.S. 10/169 at Elk River (1934-62 and 1969-present)
Previously --- U.S. 169 north of Elk River (1962-69)

Counties: Hennepin, Wright, Sherburne

Length: 7

Legislative Route(s): 187

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Entire historical length authorized from MN-13 to U.S. 169 in 1933. The junction with MN-13 was originally in what is now Burnsville, very close to the intersection with U.S. 65, until realignment of MN-13 about 1961 moved the south end of MN-101 to the intersection in Savage where MN-13 turns from north to east. MN-101 was a continuous route until 1988, when the MnDOT-Hennepin County highways swap took place. Originally, the plan was to turn back all of 101 south of I-94, but Carver County wanted no part of the deal. Also, Hennepin County wanted additional work done by MnDOT on the southern segment. Thus, only the segment from U.S. 12 to I-94 was turned back in 1988, but that was the beginning of the split route that persists today. With completion of a new bridge on the south side of Wayzata, the remainder of MN-101 in Hennepin County south of U.S. 12 was turned back to the county about 1998. But, the segment in Carver County remained.

About 1995, with completion of the U.S. 169 Shakopee bypass, the segment of 101 through Shakopee, including the portion that had run concurrent with U.S. 169 north to the Scott-Carver County line, became Scott County 101. The 1.3 mile piece between MN-13 and U.S. 169 became an unmarked trunk highway, marked only with trailblazer signs to U.S. 169/County 101 and MN-13. On MnDOT's route log, this is shown as Trunk Highway 801B (a designation given to unmarked routes). And, the little piece of former 101/169 from the U.S. 212 junction south to the county line remained as a trunk highway but was marked "Carver County 101," on what I believe are MnDOT signs (Carver County hasn't converted to blue pentagonal county route markers). This shows on the route log as part of TH-101. The remaining portion of MN-101 actually marked as such in Carver County runs from U.S. 212 north to MN-5, where there is a short concurrent section, then north along the Carver-Hennepin County line. The trunk highway ends where the road turns east to enter Hennepin County in its entirety. Last time I drove this segment along the county line, the MN-101 route markers had pentagonal county route markers behind them, ready to be exposed by removal of the state route marker.

On the north end, when U.S. 169 was first realigned east of Elk River, MN-101 was extended north for a couple of miles along old U.S. 169 to the new U.S. 169 alignment. In the late 1960s, the current alignment of 101 from Rogers to Elk River, intersecting 10 at 169, was constructed, and the former MN-101 extension north of U.S. 10 became MN-201 for a few years until it was turned back.

Improvements: The original alignment of this route north of present-day I-94 followed what is now Hennepin CSAH 13 to Dayton, then along the Mississippi River, crossing west of the current bridge to downtown Elk River. The remaining portion of the route north of I-94 is now expressway, posted 65 mph virtually its entire length with about 4 traffic lights along the way. Until the mid 90s, it was a clogged, 2-lane road.

Future Improvements: The squeaky wheel of suburban Twin Cities travelers to Lake Mille Lacs and other northern resorts has successfully moved the planned conversion to a freeway, with interchanges at CSAH 36, 37 and 39, from 2013 to 2006. MnDOT's web site, however, does not indicate that construction is actually underway, even though it was scheduled to be bid in spring 2006. MnDOT is also conducting scoping studies on improvements to the Carver County segment, though no construction money is currently funded. (See turnback discussion below).

Comments: This is the only "split" route in Minnesota that I'm aware of. It appears that Carver County may take the south segment once U.S. 212 is completed. Construction of the new U.S. 212 (current MN-312) freeway has necessitated realignment of 101 where it crosses the new highway, and it is reported that the newly realigned route is marked Carver County 101 (with square county route markers typical of Carver County, not the pentagonal signs that Carver doesn't use). The segment of 101 north of I-94 is an important link with U.S. 169 north to Lake Mille Lacs. In the summer, this road is clogged on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons with boats and campers. Although this route is classified as a minor arterial, reclassification as a major arterial is likely.

Length: 19 Region: NW

Counties: Polk

Legislative Route(s): 178

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933.

Improvements: Paved by 1953

Legislative Route(s): 148

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Now part of

Original designation for the westernmost segment of MN-7 between MN-28 and U.S. 12 until the mid-1950s.

Legislative Route(s): 334

How numbered: As a spur of T.H. 3

History: Now part of

Temporary designation for the stub of the Lafayette Freeway south of I-494 (the rest of which was then called MN-3) from about 1990 until the freeway's completion in 1995 and redesignation in its entirety as U.S. 52.

Length: 40 Region: WC

Counties: Swift/Kandiyohi, Pope

Legislative Route(s): 143

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933. Segment between MN-9 and U.S. 12 turned back by action of 2005 Legislature.

Improvements: Paved in its entirety by 1960

Length: 12 Region: SE

Counties: Mower

Legislative Route(s): 199

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment (no apparent association with nearby former IA-105, which did not run to the Minnesota border)

History: Authorized 1933. When old U.S. 16 and later MN-116 through Austin was turned back to the city, the short connecting route between 105 and I-90 was added to MN-105.

Improvements: Paved by 1940

Comments: Identified in the District 6 long-range plan as a turnback candidate. No surprise.

Length: 7 Region: WC

Counties: Otter Tail

Legislative Route(s): 184

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933

Improvements: Paved by 1953

Length: 17 Region: EC

Counties: Isanti, Kanabec, Pine

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 5, 134

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: South of MN-70, this segment is part of Constitutional Route 5 and was originally numbered MN-65 until about 1942. At that time, a new alignment of MN-65 (using L.R. 189, which was formerly designated MN-118) was constructed and this old segment was renumbered as a southerly extension of existing MN-107. North of MN-70, authorized 1933.

Improvements: Paved by 1960

Length: 60 Region: WC

Counties: Wilkin, Otter Tail

Legislative Route(s): 229, 206, 181

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: East of U.S. 59, two segments both authorized 1933. West of U.S. 59, authorized 1949.

Improvements: Paved by 1953, except for newest segment between U.S. 52 and U.S. 59. That segment paved by 1960.

Length: 33 Region: SE

Counties: Faribault, Freeborn

Legislative Route(s): 255, 124

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: East of MN-22, authorized 1933. West of MN-22, authorized 1949.

Improvements: Paved by 1953, including new segment.

Legislative Route(s): 120

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Former route running west of Lake Minnetonka between MN-7 and U.S. 12. Now designated Hennepin CSAH 110. Turned back mid-1950s. I believe this was the first legislative route removed from the trunk highway system, though not the first route removed (that would be 118).

Length: 4 Region: M

Counties: Dakota

Legislative Route(s): 117

How numbered: Formerly part of MN-100 when it circled Twin Cities, this designation is derived from the old number. (The other segment of old MN-100 was redesignated MN-120).

History: Originally part of

Authorized 1933 as part of MN-100.

Improvements: Paved before 1940. Divided highway by 1953.

Comments: Before completion of I-494, this road carried all 494 traffic from its beginning at MN-55, to the completed portion of 494 beginning at Babcock Trail (MN-3 north). There was a signal there for many years following completion of the Lafayette Freeway (then marked TH-3), and 494 began again just east of that intersection.

Length: 10 Region: SE

Counties: Nicollet

Legislative Route(s): 122

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933.

Improvements: Paved by 1942.

Length: 14 Region: SE

Counties: LeSueur

Legislative Route(s): 123

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933. From LeSueur north, this was part of U.S. 169 until the bypass west of town was constructed in the early 1960s.

Improvements: Paved by 1940.

Comments: The route through the valley of the Jolly Green Giant.

Length: 55 Region: NW

Counties: Norman, Mahnomen, Becker, Hubbard

Legislative Route(s): 283, 200

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: East of U.S. 59, authorized 1933. West of U.S. 59, authorized 1949.

Improvements: By 1953, only a small segment east of U.S. 59 was paved. Paving of the entire route did not occur until the late 1960s.

Length: 19 Region: WC

Counties: Pope, Douglas

Legislative Route(s): 208

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933.

Improvements: By 1960, paved south of MN-27.

Length: 9 Region: WC

Counties: Morrison

Legislative Route(s): 131

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933.

Improvements: Paved by 1942.

Comments: Passes through Camp Ripley military reservation. Mississippi River bridge carries not only highway traffic but a rail spur, down the middle of the roadway, leading into the camp. Bridge was rebuilt in 1998.

Legislative Route(s): 175

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Subsequently marked

Now marked

Original designation for L.R. 175 (now MN-200) between the ND State Line and U.S. 75. Redesignated MN-31 when U.S. 75 was moved onto former T.H. 81 in the mid-1950s, in 1969 became part of MN-200.

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 9

How numbered: As the former route of U.S. 16

History: Originally part of

Old U.S. 16 through Austin after completion of I-90 in the mid-60s. Turned back to city around 1980, carries "Business Loop 90" designation.

Length: 2 Region: WC

Counties: Traverse

Legislative Route(s): 191

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933.

Improvements: Paved by 1942

Comments: A very short road connecting to an insignificant county road in South Dakota. I can't fathom why it has ever been a trunk highway.

Legislative Route(s): 189

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: A route established in 1933, formerly running parallel to and west of MN-65 north of Cambridge to a junction with 65. Followed the route of what is now Isanti CSAH 14 and Kanabec CSAH 16. Was replaced in the early 1940s when MN-65 was constructed between the current junctions with MN-107 and MN-70 and assumed this highway's legislative route number. The first trunk highway to actually be removed from the system.

Length: 3 Region: M

Legislative Route(s): 333

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

NHS: As part of planned U.S. 10.

History: Now part of

Northern bypass of Twin Cities (sometimes called "North Crosstown", not an official designation), including both the relocation of U.S. 10 in Anoka County and MN-610, was authorized around 1975. The temporary designation T.H. 118 was posted about 1990 along the stub of the future relocation of U.S. 10 (previously marked with trailblazer signs to MN-65 and I-35W only). Designation eliminated when the freeway link to U.S. 10 was completed in July 1999.

Improvements: This road has been constructed in pieces. In the late 1970s, a divided highway was constructed between I-35W about 4/10 mile to 85th Avenue NE/County Road J. In the mid 1980s, this was extended as an expressway to MN-65, and in the early 1990s, it was upgraded to freeway status. The segment between the U.S. 10/T.H. 47/ T.H. 610 interchange and MN-65 was completed in July 1999 and renumbered U.S. 10.

Comments: Temporary designation for the short section of freeway that is now part of U.S. 10. The old segment of U.S. 10 became Anoka and Ramsey County 10 (in other words, two parallel "Highway 10s" within a mile of each other).

Length: 16 Region: WC

Counties: Lac Qui Parle, Swift

Legislative Route(s): 144

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933

Improvements: Mostly paved by 1940, completed by 1953.

Comments: As noted above, 119 was originally proposed to be used on what became 152. It isn't at all clear what the proposed designation for this route would have been (possibly 66 north of Appleton).

Length: 8 Region: M

Legislative Route(s): 117

How numbered: Originally part of

Formerly part of MN-100 when it circled Twin Cities, this designation is derived from the old number. (The other segment of old MN-100 was redesignated MN-110).

History: Authorized 1933 as part of MN-100. Redesignated about 1965. Removed from trunk highway system in 2001.

Improvements: See MN-100 discussion for routing of the east side of the "belt line."

Comments: Follows Geneva Avenue/Century Avenue (depending on which side of the street you're on). This route was eliminated from statute in 2001 and is being turned back to Washington and Ramsey Counties, and since most of its route is along the county line, that raises the question of who maintains and marks it. Adam Kendall reports (March 2003) that Washington County has re-signed old 120 from I-494 to I-94, as CSAH 16 along Valley Creek Road and CSAH 25 along Geneva. (No signs southbound on the Ramsey County side). However, there is a new "END 120" sign southbound at I-94, which indicates that the turnback process is being extended over several years. This route has an end-to-end terminus with MN-244, which was eliminated from statute and is also under an extended turnback process through 2009. Thus, 120 may also be completely turned back by that year.

Photo: For a 2007 photo showing the end-to-end terminus of this route and MN-244, see the MN-244 listing.

Length: 0.5 mile

Following is the complicated history of this route (dates approximate):
1935-57: France Avenue from 50th St. (MN-90) north to Excelsior Blvd. (U.S. 169-212)
1957-69: Same as above, but extended southward along France Avenue to 54th St. (South Minneapolis City Limits). This probably coincided with removal of MN-90 marking along the non-trunk highway segment of 50th Street between MN-100 and France Avenue.
1969-79: Same as above, and in addition replaced MN-190 (former 90) by being extended east along 50th St. to Lyndale, north on Lyndale, and east on 46th St. to I-35W. This modification formed a route with a 'T'.
1979-88: Spur along France from 50th to 54th turned back to Hennepin County. MN-190 (which in its second incarnation had been marked along Lyndale) was eliminated, and 121 was re-routed south on Lyndale from 50th to the I-35W connector north of 58th St., then along this expressway connector to I-35W.
1988-present: France, 50th and Lyndale Ave. segments turned back to Hennepin County (CSAH 17, 21 and 22). Only remaining segment is I-35W connector to Lyndale north of 58th, about 1/2 mile long.

County: Hennepin

Legislative Route(s): 105 (former France Ave. segment), 110 (50th St. and Lyndale segments)

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Authorized 1933 (probably first marked about 1935)

Improvements: Always has been paved. The expressway connection to Lyndale is part of the original north end of I-35W (probably planned originally as a U.S. 65 expressway) during its initial construction stages into Minneapolis.

Comment: This wasn't apparently a 1934 route but rather was created in 1935. No new legislative routes were created for it nor was any legislative route amended; rather, it was a refinement of the use of the language describing L.R. 105.

Legislative Route(s): 104, later 385

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment (the lowest never-used number at that time), or maybe because it was formerly U.S. 12

History: Originally part of

Washington Avenue bridge and Washington Ave. SE from I-35W through University of Minnesota to University Avenue. Previously marked U.S. 12/52 and U.S. 12. In the 1988 Hennepin County/MnDOT highway swap, this part of old 12 remained as a trunk highway, but it was turned back to Hennepin County in 1997 and its legislative route repealed. while I haven't actually seen a reassurance marker, construction signage indicates (to no surprise) it's Hennepin CSAH 122.

Comments: I wonder whether this was originally intended to be MN-12 after re-routing U.S. 12 along I-94. For a short time in the late 1980s, the onramp from Cedar Avenue was marked with Minnesota 12 markers. Since U.S. 12 was rerouted onto I-94 about that time, and is not marked along 94, it would not have been inconceivable for MnDOT to keep this at TH-12, but with a state designation. However, it was actually marked 122 shortly thereafter.

Counties: Pine

Legislative Route(s): 185

How numbered: Derivative of MN-23

History: Originally part of

MN-23, from Sandstone to what was then MN-66 west of Askov, was redesignated 123 in the late 1940s. Shown on the 1997-98 Minnesota Highway map as being removed from the trunk highway system, it is restored on the 1999-2000 map. Still, I'd be surprised if it stays a trunk highway for long since it isn't a Constitutional Route, and could be removed without legislative route changes. It's just not that important a road.

Length: 1 Region: WC

Legislative Route(s): 150

How numbered: Arbitrary assignment

History: Originally part of

Authorized 1933. This was the original route of MN-4 until the segment around the west side of Paynesville was added in the 1940s, after which time this road was turned back. The route was redesignated a trunk highway around 1960 (not as an additional legislative route), and was again designated MN-4 (the newer route to the west was MN-55) , but by 1963 was redesignated. Turned back with no legislative action needed in 2003 --- "Space Ghost" reports it is now marked Stearns CSAH 66.

Improvements: Was paved by 1940 as part of MN-4/55.

Length: 2 Region: WC

Counties: Douglas

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 3

How numbered: As a spur of MN-27

History: Although part of Constitutional Route 3, this particular road was not part of original U.S. 52 between St. Cloud and Alexandria. It was designated as a trunk highway in the late 1960s when I-94 was completed, to provide continuity for Constitutional Route 3 from I-94 through Alexandria via MN-27.

Improvements: This segment was paved at the time it became a trunk highway.

Length: 37 Region: NE

Counties: St. Louis

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 35

How numbered: Originally numbered 35, based on its Constitutional Route designation, then renumbered to eliminate duplication with I-35.

History: Originally designated

Part of Constitutional Route 35. A segment of this route formerly ran through Virginia as a business route to U.S. 53 after construction of the U.S. 53 bypass.

Improvements: Paved south of Aurora by 1942, south of Embarrass by 1953, in total by 1960.

Length: 3 Region: SE

Counties: Fillmore

Legislative Route(s): 79

How numbered: To match adjoining IA-139. The only instance where Minnesota numbered a route to match an existing route in Iowa, rather than the opposite (Iowa renumbered its state highways that crossed into Minnesota in the early 1960s to match the Minnesota numbers).

History: Authorized 1933.

Improvements: Paved by 1953.

Comments: Runs near Niagara Cave

Length: 9 Region: M

Counties: Dakota, Ramsey

Constitutional/Legislative Route(s): 1, 102

How numbered: Formerly numbered MN-49, it was redesignated to eliminate the route continuity when the connecting segment of 49 through downtown was turned back to St. Paul.

History: After 1934 route changes was designated

Subsequently designated

Constitutional Route south of St. Paul city limits, north of city limits authorized 1933. This was the original pre-1934 route of U.S. 65 from the south. Prior to designation as MN-49, it was MN-88. Part of the historic Jefferson Highway.

Improvements: Paved by 1929. Two lane its entire length. At its northern edge, the route crosses the impressive High Bridge over the Mississippi River, which was originally a steel truss bridge built around 1895 and rebuilt as a concrete arch in 1990.