Minnesota State Highway 74
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| Route information | ||||
| Defined by MS § 161.115(5) | ||||
| Maintained by Mn/DOT | ||||
| Length: | 34.956 mi (56.256 km) | |||
| Existed: | 1933 – present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end: |   U.S. 52 / MN 30 at Chatfield |
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 I-90 near St. Charles U.S. 14 at St. Charles |
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| North end: |  U.S. 61 at Weaver |
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| Location | ||||
| Counties: | Fillmore, Olmsted, Winona, Wabasha | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Minnesota Trunk Highways
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→Minnesota State Highway 74 is a highway in southeast Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with U.S. Highway 52 and State Highway 30 in Chatfield and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with U.S. Highway 61 at Weaver along the Mississippi River.
It is the only remaining road in the state highway system which is still partially unpaved.
Highway 74 is 35 miles (56 km) in length.
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[edit] Route description
State Highway 74 serves as a north–south route in southeast Minnesota between Chatfield, St. Charles, Elba, and Weaver.
Highway 74 begins at its intersection with U.S. 52 and State Highway 30 in Chatfield and continues north through the small unincorporated communities of Troy and Saratoga. Highway 74 has a junction with Interstate 90 just south of St. Charles. In St. Charles, Highway 74 becomes Main Street, also known as Whitewater Avenue, until it joins U.S. Highway 14 briefly. Highway 74 runs concurrent west with Highway 14 for less than a mile. The route continues north again, passing through Whitewater State Park and the small town of Elba.
7 miles (11 km) of the route near the northern end, in what is known as the Weaver Bottoms, are unpaved gravel. Highway 74 ends at its junction with U.S. Highway 61 in Weaver.
The route is legally defined as Legislative Route 74 in the Minnesota Statutes.[1]
[edit] History
Highway 74 was authorized in 1933. The south end of Highway 74 previously extended south of Chatfield to old U.S. Highway 16 at Spring Valley until 1974.[2] As a result of this, the present day mile markers begin at mile 20. Highway 74 follows, in part, an old route which was one of the first public roads in the Minnesota Territory.
In 1953, the route was still gravel south of U.S. Highway 14. Highway 74 was paved by 1960,[2] except for the northernmost 7 miles, which is still gravel in the present day.
[edit] Flood
The 2007 Midwest flooding caused much damage to Highway 74. On August 18th and 19th, 2007, the flooded Whitewater River destroyed bridges and washed out the roadway in several places. By 2008, repairs were complete.
[edit] Images
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The southern terminus of State Highway 74 in Chatfield
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At the northern end of the unpaved portion of Highway 74, near Weaver
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Highway 74 during the 2007 flood
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Aerial view of Highway 74 after the 2007 flood
[edit] Major intersections
| County | Location | Mile | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fillmore |
Chatfield | 20.050 |   US 52 / MN 30 |
West end of MN 30 overlap |
| Olmsted |
Elmira Township | 24.201 | MN 30 |
East end of MN 30 overlap |
| Winona |
Saratoga Township | 26.673 | CR 6 | |
| St. Charles Township | 32.263 | CR 35 | ||
| 32.412-32.530 |  I-90 |
Interchange | ||
| St. Charles | 33.834 |  US 14 |
East end of US 14 overlap | |
| 34.090 | US 14 |
West end of US 14 overlap | ||
| Elba Township | 37.459 | CR 22 | ||
| 41.781 | CR 39 | |||
| Elba | 43.544 | CR 26 | ||
| Beaver | 48.288 | CR 30 | ||
| Wabasha |
Weaver | 55.393 |  US 61 |
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| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus • Closed/former • Incomplete access • Unopened |
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[edit] References
- ^ "161.115, Additional Trunk Highways". Minnesota Statutes. Office of the Revisor of Statutes, State of Minnesota. 2010. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=161.115. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
- ^ a b Riner, Steve. "Details of routes 51-75". The Unofficial Minnesota Highways Page. Self-published. http://www.steve-riner.com/mnhighways/r51-75.htm#74. Retrieved October 29, 2010.[unreliable source]
