From Footpaths to Freeways A Survey of Roads and Highways in Minnesota By Joel Katz, P.E., PTOE Minnesota Department of Transportation DEDICATION This book is dedicated to the thousands of Minnesotans — past and present — who have been involved in the planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operation of the roads, streets, and highways of Minnesota, , as well as those who have played essential roles in such areas as financing, administration, research, education, and communications. These are the people who have been employed by the federal, state, and local governments; contractors; consultant firms; and educational institutions who have applied their professional and trade experience in developing a transportation system on which our way of life and economic viability has become so greatly dependent. Some of these employees lost their lives while performing construction, maintenance, and enforcement activities. All have worked diligently, loyally, and professionally — especially in emergency situations. Prepared by Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota Editor: Nancy Baldrica Designer: Jennifer Wreisner CTS Coordinators: Pam Snopl, Gina Baas, and Shawn Haag Center for Transportation Studies University of Minnesota 200 Transportation & Safety Building 511 Washington Ave SE Minneapolis, MN 55455 Copyright ©2009 Mn/DOT. Minnesota Department of Transportation 395 John Ireland Boulevard • St. Paul, MN 55155-1899 Phone: 800/657-3774 • 800/627-3529 The Minnesota Department of Transportation is an equal opportunity employer. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. This report represents the results of research conducted by the author and does not necessarily represent the views or policies of the Minnesota Department of Transportation and/or the Center for Transportation Studies. This report does not contain a standard or specified technique. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Acknowledgments iii Acknowledgements The panel members included Doug Differt and for- mer Mn/DOT principal officials Doug Weiszhaar, Anyone who has read a few “Acknowledgements” Ed Cohoon, F. C. (Fritz) Marshall, and John pages knows that most books do not reach the shelf Sandahl. The panel’s advice and counsel was of a bookstore without the considerable help and extremely helpful and most appreciated – and I must encouragement of many individuals from the time say that I thoroughly enjoyed the several meetings we the concept for a story is born in the mind of the had with such distinguished transportation experts. author until a fully edited manuscript is ready for the Their collective experience contributed immeasur- printing plant. That is definitely true of this book, ably to the content of the following pages. and I would certainly be remiss if I did not acknowl- edge those who made it possible. CTS also appointed a project manager from their staff, initially Chad Rathmann and later (after Chad First, I must thank Douglas Differt, then deputy left for other employment), Shawn Haag – both of commissioner of the Minnesota Department of whom were charged with keeping the project on Transportation (Mn/DOT), and Robert Johns, track and taking care of administrative details. CTS director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for also hired student researchers: Lisa Hartley was on Transportation Studies (CTS). I have doubts that board for the first several months followed by this book would have ever been published had it not Mercedes Tuma-Hansen who was hired when Lisa’s been for their interest and persistence.The three of us appointment expired. Both spent many hours at the met for breakfast in January 2005 at a hotel across Minnesota Historical Society, at Mn/DOT’s library, Rice Street from the Mn/DOT Central Office and with other collections searching for documents building in St. Paul to discuss my preliminary pro- and photos covering the early days of road trans- posal for the project. More discussion with Doug and portation in Minnesota. Mercedes also carried out Bob over the next year led to contracts wherein the initial editing of many of the book’s chapters. Mn/DOT provided funding to CTS to manage and facilitate the project. A special thank you goes to Mike Robinson, district engineer in Mn/DOT’s Duluth office. He made a Mn/DOT’s Sue Lodahl managed the contracts and point of asking his staff to offer whatever assistance served as the liaison between the two agencies. She was asked regarding the history of I-35’s construction kept Mn/DOT staff informed of project progress through the city as well as other state highways in the and took the initiative to assure continued depart- district. Particularly helpful in that regard was John ment backing when a new leadership team took over Bray, special assistant to the district engineer, who its administration. That change came at a time when provided a wealth of photos, facts, and figures regard- funding had become tight – especially for projects ing I-35 and information about other Mn/DOT that did not directly build or maintain highways. projects. John also has had some of his own writing on I-35 published, work that I used extensively in CTS appointed retired Mn/DOT Metro Division preparing the write-up on that freeway. Engineer Charles Siggerud to assemble and chair a technical advisory panel charged with the following I must also mention Jim Newland who was a high- tasks: way design engineer in the Mn/DOT Duluth dis- • Review the book’s proposed contents trict office during the many years it took to reach • Review early chapter drafts consensus on the planning and design details for the • Assure that Mn/DOT’s contract provisions were big Interstate projects. Jim offered a considerable being met number of constructive criticisms while reviewing my • Review the text prior to preparation of the final initial work on the Duluth freeway segments. I also version for publication enjoyed the great stories he told about his years in the district. iv Acknowledgments During most of the period I spent writing this book, Many people offered historical information from I was employed at the Golden Valley office of WSB their early years at the Minnesota Highway De-part- & Associates, Inc, a consulting engineering firm spe- ment. I want to thank especially colleagues Kenneth cializing in transportation and related in-frastructure W. Anderson, Evan Green, and Dan Bran-nan for projects. Tony Hepplemann and Chuck Rickart the documents, maps, and photos they provided. kindly agreed to my working part time for the com- Mickey Morris, who in the 1980s wrote an unpub- pany, permitting my use of the firm’s facilities, and lished history of the Highway Department (the fore- providing me with some administra-tive support runner of today’s Mn/DOT), sent me a copy of his while I worked on the book. Transportation Planner manuscript – a wealth of information about employ- Peter Langworthy gave me copies of student papers ees and their work, many of whom had retired before he wrote on the impacts caused by the construction I had started working for the department in 1957. A of I-94 west of downtown St. Paul, thus contributing most enjoyable reading was John Pawlak’s memoir background for Chapter 6, and Sharon Montague covering his career at the Highway Department. His provided invaluable assis-tance in the reproduction of daughter, Jean M. Ro-zeske, who graciously sent me chapters for the early reviews by the technical adviso- a copy, transcribed the work that John had culled ry panel and Mn/DOT’s contract liaison. Erica Hurt from his daily dia-ries. did some of the photography early in the project and pro-vided photos from the WSB files. She also Credit for helping me with historical information is showed me how to operate a digital camera. Other also due to Patricia Zankman, director of the Cook em-ployees offered encouragement and let me know County Historical Society. While gathering infor- that they were anxious to see the finished product. mation on the Gunflint Trail, she pulled a file on the “Outlaw Bridge.” The background for what became I was most fortunate to have a fine editor in Nancy part of Chapter 12 was totally unknown to me and Baldrica. She deftly cut down my original manu- would not have been included in this book had it not script from a size that made it more fit for a child’s been for her going beyond what I was looking for. booster seat than a coffee table decoration. We agreed The story behind this 1917 bridge covers one of the early on that this publication should not require a most unusual construction projects in Minnesota – and Ontario. backpack to get it from the bookstore to your car. Her professional guidance and assistance also made it possible for real people like you to read a book writ- There were other contributors – too many to identi- ten by an engineer. The same goes for Jennifer fy indentify in this space; however, I sincerely appre- Wreiser who spent many hours in the design of the ciate all their efforts, large and small. book and the layout of its contents. Finally, I want to thank my wife, Harriet, for her for- Speaking of my engineering background, there were bearance, support, and encouragement. Over the others who, early on, had a crack at making this work years, she learned more about roads and highways more intelligible. (Words like “signal phasing” and than she ever wanted to know.