Minnesota State Highway 96 (MN 96) is a
highway in
Minnesota that runs from its
intersection
In mathematics, the intersection of two or more objects is another object consisting of everything that is contained in all of the objects simultaneously. For example, in Euclidean geometry, when two lines in a plane are not parallel, their i ...
with
U.S. Highway 61
U.S. Route 61 or U.S. Highway 61 (U.S. 61) is a major United States highway that extends between New Orleans, Louisiana and the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River and is designated ...
in
White Bear Lake and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with
State Highway 95 on the northern edge of
Stillwater.
It is also known as ''Dellwood Road'' in the communities of
Dellwood,
Grant, and
Stillwater Township. The route is also known briefly as ''Lake Avenue North'' within the city of White Bear Lake.
Many people in the area still think of ''Highway 96'' in two sections: 1) this eastern portion that remains a State Highway and 2) the western portion that is now known as ''
Ramsey County Highway 96''.
The two portions were never aligned, but were always about a mile apart, with the western portion about a mile south of the eastern portion.
Route description
State Highway 96 serves as an east–west arterial route between the communities of
White Bear Lake,
Dellwood,
Grant,
Stillwater Township, and
Stillwater.
The route is legally defined as Legislative Route 96 in the Minnesota Statutes.
History
Highway 96 was authorized in 1933. It was paved east of U.S. 61 at the time the highway was marked.
The part of the highway between U.S. 8 and U.S. 61 was completely paved by 1935.
From 1934 to 1994, State Highway 96 included the western portion that is now known as ''
Ramsey County Highway 96''.,
which extended farther west several miles through the communities of
Vadnais Heights,
Shoreview, and
Arden Hills. The former western terminus for State Highway 96 during this time period was at its
intersection
In mathematics, the intersection of two or more objects is another object consisting of everything that is contained in all of the objects simultaneously. For example, in Euclidean geometry, when two lines in a plane are not parallel, their i ...
with old
U.S. Highway 8
U.S. Highway 8 (US 8) is a United States Numbered Highway that runs primarily east–west for , mostly within the state of Wisconsin. It connects Interstate 35 (I-35) in Forest Lake, Minnesota, to US 2 at Norway in the Upper Peninsul ...
(near
I-35W) on the Arden Hills /
New Brighton New Brighton is the name of several places, sports teams etc.:
Australia
* New Brighton, New South Wales, a town near Ocean Shores
Canada
* New Brighton, Calgary, Alberta, a neighborhood
* New Brighton (Gambier Island), a settlement in British ...
border. This section of Highway 96 was once part of the
Highway 100 Beltway circling the entire
Twin Cities during the 1940s and 1950s.
The western portion of Highway 96 between
Highway 61 at
White Bear Lake and Old Highway 8 at Arden Hills is now known as ''
Ramsey County Highway 96''.
A few people in the area still remember stories of how the western portion of Highway 96 was first built across the south arm of Birch Lake the 1930s in
White Bear Township. Most now only see that part of the lake as a pond to the south and a marshland to the north, but that's the result of major landfill projects that began in the 1930s and continued in road-widening projects through the 1990s. Local farmer and machinist Con Heckel told of more than one 1930s construction company that went out of business in the process.
The old roads had gone around the lakes, but the new ones like Highway 96 were built straight over them.
The 2021 Minnesota Legislature authorized removal of the section east of Highway 244, to become effective when a turnback agreement is reached with Washington County.
State Highway 96 is a turnback candidate because it is a minor arterial, which functions more as a county state-aid highway or county road.
Major intersections
References
{{reflist
096
Transportation in Ramsey County, Minnesota
Transportation in Washington County, Minnesota