U.S. Route 63 in Minnesota
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 63 is a highway
in southeastern Minnesota
that runs from the Minnesota-Iowa border south of Spring Valley
to the Mississippi River
at Red Wing
. It connects the cities of Spring Valley, Stewartville
, Rochester
, and Lake City
.
The route in Minnesota is 92 miles (148.1 km) in length.
. It travels north to Spring Valley
where it becomes concurrent with State Highway 16
, following it west for five miles. It continues north to Stewartville
, where it becomes a divided highway
.
The highway is reduced to two lanes on the north side of Rochester
and continues north through Olmsted and Wabasha counties. It meets U.S. Highway 61
at Lake City
and overlaps it into the city of Red Wing
. U.S. 63 turns southeast on State Highway 58
for one block and then turns northeast on 3rd Street. It then curves back northwest to cross over 61, and then reaches the Red Wing Bridge where it crosses the Mississippi River
and enters the state of Wisconsin
.
Nearly all of the route is legally defined as Constitutional Route
59 in the Minnesota Statutes, except for the part between Red Wing and the Mississippi River, which is Legislative Route 161.
. U.S. 63 was an original 1926 U.S. Route and terminated in Des Moines, Iowa
until it was extended north. The U.S. 59 designation was simultaneously re-assigned to a new highway
running from Laredo, Texas
to Pembina, North Dakota
.
The route was paved when it was marked.
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
in southeastern Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
that runs from the Minnesota-Iowa border south of Spring Valley
Spring Valley, Minnesota
Spring Valley is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,479 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.U.S...
to the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
at Red Wing
Red Wing, Minnesota
Red Wing is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, on the Mississippi River. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Goodhue County....
. It connects the cities of Spring Valley, Stewartville
Stewartville, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,411 people, 2,013 households, and 1,417 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,579.6 people per square mile . There were 2,074 housing units at an average density of 988.7 per square mile...
, Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
, and Lake City
Lake City, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,950 people, 2,131 households, and 1,402 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,166.9 people per square mile . There were 2,347 housing units at an average density of 553.3 per square mile...
.
The route in Minnesota is 92 miles (148.1 km) in length.
Route description
U.S. 63 enters the state in Fillmore County, just north of Chester, IowaChester, Iowa
Chester is a city in Howard County, Iowa, United States. The population was 127 in the 2010 census, a decrease of 15.9% from the 151 population in the 2000 census...
. It travels north to Spring Valley
Spring Valley, Minnesota
Spring Valley is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,479 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.U.S...
where it becomes concurrent with State Highway 16
Minnesota State Highway 16
Minnesota State Highway 16 is a two-lane highway in southeast Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with Interstate Highway 90 in Dexter and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with U.S. Highways 14 and 61 in La Crescent....
, following it west for five miles. It continues north to Stewartville
Stewartville, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,411 people, 2,013 households, and 1,417 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,579.6 people per square mile . There were 2,074 housing units at an average density of 988.7 per square mile...
, where it becomes a divided highway
Divided Highway
Divided Highway is a compilation album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 2003. . All tracks are taken from the albums Cycles and Brotherhood .-Track listing:...
.
The highway is reduced to two lanes on the north side of Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
and continues north through Olmsted and Wabasha counties. It meets U.S. Highway 61
U.S. Route 61 in Minnesota
U.S. Highway 61 is a highway in southeast and east-central Minnesota, which runs from the River Bridge over the Mississippi River at La Crescent and continues north to its northern terminus at its junction with Interstate 35 at the city of Wyoming....
at Lake City
Lake City, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,950 people, 2,131 households, and 1,402 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,166.9 people per square mile . There were 2,347 housing units at an average density of 553.3 per square mile...
and overlaps it into the city of Red Wing
Red Wing, Minnesota
Red Wing is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, on the Mississippi River. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Goodhue County....
. U.S. 63 turns southeast on State Highway 58
Minnesota State Highway 58
Minnesota State Highway 58 is a highway in southeast Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with U.S. 52 / State Highway 60 in Zumbrota and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with U.S...
for one block and then turns northeast on 3rd Street. It then curves back northwest to cross over 61, and then reaches the Red Wing Bridge where it crosses the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
and enters the state of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
Nearly all of the route is legally defined as Constitutional Route
Constitutional route
In the U.S. state of Minnesota, a legislative route is a highway number defined by the Minnesota State Legislature. The routes from 1 to 70 are constitutional routes, defined as part of the Babcock Amendment to the Minnesota State Constitution, passed November 2, 1920. All of them were listed in...
59 in the Minnesota Statutes, except for the part between Red Wing and the Mississippi River, which is Legislative Route 161.
History
U.S. 63 was extended into Minnesota in 1934. The route had previously been marked the year before as U.S. 59, except for the segment running from U.S. 61 to the river crossing, which had been State Highway 58Minnesota State Highway 58
Minnesota State Highway 58 is a highway in southeast Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with U.S. 52 / State Highway 60 in Zumbrota and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with U.S...
. U.S. 63 was an original 1926 U.S. Route and terminated in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
until it was extended north. The U.S. 59 designation was simultaneously re-assigned to a new highway
U.S. Route 59
U.S. Route 59 is a north–south United States highway . A latecomer to the U.S. numbered route system, U.S. 59 is now a border-to-border route, Part of NAFTA Corridor Highway System. It parallels U.S. Route 75 for nearly its entire route, never much more than away, until it veers southwest...
running from Laredo, Texas
Laredo, Texas
Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border,...
to Pembina, North Dakota
Pembina, North Dakota
Pembina is a city in Pembina County, North Dakota in the United States. The population was 592 at the 2010 census.The area of Pembina was long inhabited by various indigenous peoples...
.
The route was paved when it was marked.