Minnesota State Highway 68#History
{{short description|State highway in Minnesota, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox road|
state=MN |
type=MN |
route = 68
|map={{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=240|type=line|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Minnesota State Highway 68}}}}
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=MN 68 highlighted in red
|
established = 1920 |
length_mi = 141.026
|length_ref= |
|tourist= Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway|direction_a=West
|terminus_a={{jct|state=SD|SD|22}} at Fortier Township,
at Minnesota — South Dakota state line
|junction={{jct|state=MN|US|75}} at Canby
{{Jct|state=MN|US|59|MN|23}} at Marshall
{{jct|state=MN|US|71}} at New Avon Township
{{jct|state=MN|MN|67}} at Morgan
{{jct|state=MN|US|14|MN|4}} at Sleepy Eye
{{jct|state=MN|US|14|MN|15}} at New Ulm
|direction_b=East
|terminus_b={{jct|state=MN|US|169|MN|60}} near Mankato
|counties=Yellow Medicine, Lincoln, Lyon, Redwood, Brown, Blue Earth
|previous_type=MN |
|previous_route=67 |
|next_type=US |
|next_route=69
}}
Minnesota State Highway 68 (MN 68) is a {{convert|141.026|mi|km|-long|adj=mid}} highway in southwest and south-central Minnesota, which runs from South Dakota Highway 22 at the South Dakota state line near Canby, and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with U.S. Highway 169 and State Highway 60 in South Bend Township near Mankato.
Route description
State Highway 68 serves as an east–west route in southwest and south-central Minnesota between Canby, Minneota, Marshall, Morgan, Sleepy Eye, New Ulm, and Mankato.
Minneopa State Park is located five miles (8 km) west of Mankato. The park entrance is located on Highway 68 near its intersection with U.S. Highway 169.[http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/minneopa/index.html Minnesota DNR web page for Minneopa State Park - Link]
Highway 68 has concurrencies with:
- U.S. Highway 59, in Marshall.
- State Highway 19, in and east of Marshall.
- U.S. Highway 71, in Redwood County.
- U.S. Highway 14, west of New Ulm.
- State Highway 15, south of New Ulm.
History
=Highway =
{{Infobox road small
|state=MN
|type=MN 1948
|route=272
|location=East of Marshall to Morgan
|length_mi=36
|length_ref=
|formed=1949
|deleted=1963
}}
{{Infobox road small
|state=MN
|type=MN 1948
|route=93
|location=Morgan to North of Sleepy Eye
|length_mi=12
|length_ref=
|formed=1934
|deleted=1963
}}
{{Infobox road small
|state=MN
|type=MN
|route=83
|location=South of New Ulm to Mankato
|length_mi=25
|length_ref=
|formed=1934
|deleted=1963
}}
Highway 68 was authorized in 1920 between Canby and Marshall.{{cite web |url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=161.114 |work=Minnesota Statutes |title= § 161.114, Constitutional Trunk Highways |publisher=Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes |author=Minnesota State Legislature |date=2010 |accessdate=October 26, 2010}}
Its western terminus was extended to the South Dakota state line in 1934.
In 1963, Highway 68 was expanded easterly between Marshall and Mankato by consolidating former State Highway 272, State Highway 93, and State Highway 83, and re-numbering them 68.{{riner |route=68 |access date=October 26, 2010}}
Highway 68 was paved from Marshall to Canby by 1940. Many remaining sections of the present day Highway 68 were still gravel by 1953. The present day route was completely paved by 1960.
Major intersections
{{MNint
|county=Yellow Medicine
|cspan=2
|location=Fortier Township
|mile=0.000
|road={{jct|state=SD|SD|22|dir1=west|city1=Clear Lake}}
|notes=Western terminus; Continuation into South Dakota}}
{{MNint
|location=Canby
|mile=8.926
|road={{jct|state=MN|US|75}}}}
{{MNint
|county=Lyon
|cspan=3
|location=Marshall
|lspan=3
|mile=38.653
|road={{jct|state=MN|US|59|dir1=north}}
|type=concur
|notes=Western end of US 59 concurrency}}
{{MNint
|type=concur
|mile=39.214
|road={{jct|state=MN|US|59|dir1=south|MN|19|dir2=west|extra=hospital}}
|notes=Eastern end of US 59 concurrency; western end of MN 19 concurrency}}
{{MNint
|mile=
|mile2=
|road={{jct|state=MN|MN|23|city1=Pipestone|city2=Granite Falls}}
|notes=}}
{{MNint
|county=Redwood
|cspan=4
|location=Westline Township
|mile=51.055
|type=concur
|road={{jct|state=MN|MN|19|dir1=east|city1=Redwood Falls}}
|notes=Eastern end of MN 19 concurrency}}
{{MNint
|location=New Avon Township
|lspan=2
|type=concur
|mile=76.321
|road={{jct|state=MN|US|71|dir1=south|city1=Windom}}
|notes=Western end of US 71 concurrency}}
{{MNint
|type=concur
|mile=76.820
|road={{jct|state=MN|US|71|dir1=north|city1=Redwood Falls}}
|notes=Eastern end of US 71 concurrency}}
{{MNint
|location=Morgan
|mile=86.924
|road={{jct|state=MN|MN|67|dir1=west|city1=Redwood Falls}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of MN 67}}
{{MNint
|county=Brown
|cspan=4
|location=Home Township
|type=concur
|mile=99.010
|road={{jct|state=MN|MN|4|dir1=north|city1=Fairfax}}
|notes=Western end of MN 4 concurrency}}
{{MNint
|location=Sleepy Eye
|mile=102.034
|type=concur
|road={{jct|state=MN|MN|4|dir1=south|US|14|dir2=west}}
|notes=Eastern end of MN 4 concurrency; western end of US 14 concurrency}}
{{MNint
|location=New Ulm
|type=concur
|mile=115.842
|road={{jct|state=MN|US|14|dir1=east|MN|15|dir2=north|road|Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway|city1=Mankato|city2=Winthrop}}
|notes=Eastern end of US 14 concurrency; western end of MN 15 concurrency}}
{{MNint
|location=Cottonwood Township
|type=concur
|mile=119.708
|road={{jct|state=MN|MN|15|dir1=south|city1=Madelia}}
|notes=Eastern end of MN 15 concurrency}}
{{MNint
|county=Blue Earth
|location=South Bend Township
|mile=141.228
|road={{jct|state=MN|US|169|MN|60|road|Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway|city1=Mankato}}
|notes=Eastern terminus}}
{{Jctbtm|keys=concur}}
References
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
{{reflist}}
Category:Transportation in Blue Earth County, Minnesota
Category:Transportation in Brown County, Minnesota
Category:Transportation in Lyon County, Minnesota
Category:Transportation in Redwood County, Minnesota
Category:Transportation in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota