Minnesota State Highway 171
Encyclopedia
Minnesota State Highway 171 is a short highway
in the northwest corner of Minnesota
, which runs from North Dakota Highway 59 at the North Dakota
state line and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection
with U.S. Highway 75
near St. Vincent
.
The route is 2 miles (3.2 km) in length and passes through St. Vincent
.
, St. Vincent
, the Red River
, and Pembina, ND
.
The route is located in the Red River Valley
region.
The route is legally defined as Route 171 in the Minnesota Statutes.
.
By 1935, this route was renumbered as part of U.S. Highway 59
. Adjoining North Dakota Highway 59 in Pembina
was numbered to match then-Highway 59 in Minnesota.
In the 1950s, this route was renumbered 171 when a realigned U.S. 59 was constructed from Lancaster
north to Canada.
This route was paved (as U.S. 59
) by 1940.
Since 2003, Canada
-bound traffic on nearby U.S. 75
has been directed to follow State Highway 171 west into North Dakota, where it becomes North Dakota Highway 59, which intersects I-29 to Canada. In 2006, the closure became official of the nearby Noyes
border crossing on U.S. 75
. Minnesota and North Dakota have not yet petitioned AASHTO
officials to change the definition of U.S. 75 to follow the routing of 171 and ND 59. As of 2009, nearby U.S. 75 in Minnesota was still signed to what is now a dead-end at the old Noyes border crossing.
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 the northwest corner of 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...
, which runs from North Dakota Highway 59 at the North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
state line and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection
Intersection (road)
An intersection is a road junction where two or more roads either meet or cross at grade . An intersection may be 3-way - a T junction or fork, 4-way - a crossroads, or 5-way or more...
with U.S. Highway 75
U.S. Route 75
U.S. Route 75 is a north–south U.S. Highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Kittson County, Minnesota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as Manitoba Highway 75 on the other side of a closed border crossing. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 30 and Interstate 45 in Dallas,...
near St. Vincent
St. Vincent, Minnesota
St. Vincent is a city in Kittson County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 64 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
.
The route is 2 miles (3.2 km) in length and passes through St. Vincent
St. Vincent, Minnesota
St. Vincent is a city in Kittson County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 64 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
.
Route description
State Highway 171 serves as a short east–west route between U.S. 75U.S. Route 75
U.S. Route 75 is a north–south U.S. Highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Kittson County, Minnesota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as Manitoba Highway 75 on the other side of a closed border crossing. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 30 and Interstate 45 in Dallas,...
, St. Vincent
St. Vincent, Minnesota
St. Vincent is a city in Kittson County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 64 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
, the Red River
Red River of the North
The Red River is a North American river. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States, it flows northward through the Red River Valley and forms the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota before continuing into Manitoba, Canada...
, and Pembina, ND
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 is located in the Red River Valley
Red River Valley
The Red River Valley is a region in central North America that is drained by the Red River of the North. It is significant in the geography of North Dakota, Minnesota, and Manitoba for its relatively fertile lands and the population centers of Fargo, Moorhead, Grand Forks, and Winnipeg...
region.
The route is legally defined as Route 171 in the Minnesota Statutes.
History
Highway 171 was authorized on April 22, 1933 and was originally part of State Highway 73Minnesota State Highway 73
Minnesota State Highway 73 is a highway in northeast Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with Interstate Highway 35 in Moose Lake and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with U.S...
.
By 1935, this route was renumbered as part of U.S. Highway 59
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...
. Adjoining North Dakota Highway 59 in Pembina
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...
was numbered to match then-Highway 59 in Minnesota.
In the 1950s, this route was renumbered 171 when a realigned U.S. 59 was constructed from Lancaster
Lancaster, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 363 people, 154 households, and 91 families residing in the city. The population density was 161.6 people per square mile . There were 193 housing units at an average density of 85.9 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 98.90% White, 28% Native...
north to Canada.
This route was paved (as U.S. 59
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...
) by 1940.
Since 2003, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-bound traffic on nearby U.S. 75
U.S. Route 75
U.S. Route 75 is a north–south U.S. Highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Kittson County, Minnesota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as Manitoba Highway 75 on the other side of a closed border crossing. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 30 and Interstate 45 in Dallas,...
has been directed to follow State Highway 171 west into North Dakota, where it becomes North Dakota Highway 59, which intersects I-29 to Canada. In 2006, the closure became official of the nearby Noyes
Noyes, Minnesota
Noyes is an unincorporated community in St. Vincent Township, Kittson County, Minnesota, United States. Located in the extreme northwestern corner of the state, it was an important border-crossing location going back to the days of ox roads. It is the northern terminus of U.S. Route 75 and the...
border crossing on U.S. 75
U.S. Route 75
U.S. Route 75 is a north–south U.S. Highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Kittson County, Minnesota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as Manitoba Highway 75 on the other side of a closed border crossing. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 30 and Interstate 45 in Dallas,...
. Minnesota and North Dakota have not yet petitioned AASHTO
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
AASHTO, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols and guidelines which are used in highway design and construction throughout the United States...
officials to change the definition of U.S. 75 to follow the routing of 171 and ND 59. As of 2009, nearby U.S. 75 in Minnesota was still signed to what is now a dead-end at the old Noyes border crossing.