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 the constitution until a 1974 rewrite. Though they are now listed separately in §161.114 of the Minnesota Statutes, the definitions are legally considered to be part of the constitution, and cannot be altered or removed without an amendment. Legislative routes with numbers greater than 70 can be added or deleted by the legislature.
Until 1933 Constitutional Routes corresponded exactly to the number marked on the highways, but this is no longer necessarily the case. In fact it's common for CR highways to be composed of several different trunk highways. When the U.S. Highway system was created in 1926, many of these roads were made up of one or more U.S. highways. Today, they now use a mix of Minnesota state highways, U.S. highways, and Interstate highways.
Constitutional Route 1 is currently one of the most complex routes, composed of:
U.S. Highway 65 from the Iowa border to Albert Lea, Minnesota
Interstate 35 to Faribault
Minnesota State Highway 3 and MN-149 to Saint Paul
U.S. Highway 61 to Wyoming
Interstate 35 to Rush City
Minnesota State Highway 361 to Rock Creek
Minnesota State Highway 23 through Hinckley
the MN-73/27 loop through Moose Lake
Interstate 35 between Moose Lake and MN-210
the MN-210/45 loop through Carlton
Interstate 35 to Duluth
Minnesota State Highway 61 to the Canadian border
However, the route can be considered to be superseded along almost its entire length by Interstate 35 (and I-35E) and Minnesota State Highway 61. By contrast, Constitutional Route 58 still has the same marked number and extent that it did in 1920.
There is some ambiguity in how literally the Minnesota Department of Transportation must interpret the constitutional routes. In some cases, the routes no longer directly serve communities they were once designated for, but are routed along nearby highways instead.
Constitutional Route 1: Iowa to Ontario via Albert Lea, Owatonna, Faribault, Northfield, Farmington, St. Paul, White Bear, Forest Lake, Wyoming, Rush City, Pine City, Hinckley, Sandstone, Moose Lake, Carlton, Duluth, Two Harbors, and Grand Marais
Constitutional Route 2: Duluth to North Dakota via Carlton, McGregor, Aitkin, Brainerd, Motley, Staples, Wadena, Detroit, and Moorhead
Constitutional Route 3: Wisconsin to North Dakota via La Crescent, Winona, Kellogg, Wabasha, Lake City, Red Wing, Hastings, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Osseo, Champlin, Anoka, Elk River, Big Lake, St. Cloud, Albany, Sauk Centre, Alexandria, Elbow Lake, Fergus Falls, and Breckenridge
Constitutional Route 4: Iowa to International Falls via Jackson, Windom, Sanborn, Redwood Falls, Morton, Olivia, Willmar, Paynesville, Sauk Centre, Long Prairie, Wadena, Park Rapids, Itasca State Park, and Bemidji
Constitutional Route 5: Iowa to Swan River via Blue Earth, Winnebago, Mankato, St. Peter, Le Sueur, Jordan, Shakopee, Minneapolis, Cambridge, Mora, and McGregor
Constitutional Route 6: Iowa to Manitoba via Luverne, Pipestone, Lake Benton, Ivanhoe, Canby, Madison, Bellingham, Odessa, Ortonville, Graceville, Dumont, Wheaton, Breckenridge, Moorhead, Kragnes, Georgetown, Perley, Hendrum, Ada, Crookston, Warren, Donaldson, and Hallock
Constitutional Route 7: Winona to South Dakota via St. Charles, Rochester, Kasson, Dodge Center, Claremont, Owatonna, Waseca, Mankato, St. Peter, New Ulm, Springfield, Tracy, and Lake Benton
Constitutional Route 8: Duluth to North Dakota via Floodwood, Swan River, Grand Rapids, Cass Lake, Bemidji, Bagley, Erskine, Crookston, and East Grand Forks
Constitutional Route 9: La Crescent to South Dakota via Hokah, Houston, Rushford, Lanesboro, Preston, Fountain, Spring Valley, Austin, Albert Lea, Blue Earth, Fairmont, Jackson, Worthington, and Luverne
Constitutional Route 10: Minneapolis to Wheaton via Montrose, Cokato, Litchfield, Willmar, Benson, Morris, and Herman
Constitutional Route 11: Duluth to Donaldson via Eveleth, Virginia, Cook, Orr, Cusson, International Falls, Baudette, Warroad, Roseau, and Greenbush
Constitutional Route 12: Wisconsin to Madison via St. Paul, Minneapolis, Hopkins, Norwood, Glencoe, Olivia, Granite Falls, Montevideo, and Dawson
Constitutional Route 13: Albert Lea to Jordan via Waseca, Waterville, Montgomery, and New Prague
Constitutional Route 14: Ivanhoe to Gaylord via Marshall, Redwood Falls, Morton, and Winthrop
Constitutional Route 15: Iowa to Winthrop via Fairmont, Madelia, and New Ulm
Constitutional Route 16: southwest of Mankato to Worthington via Madelia, St. James, Windom, and Fulda
Constitutional Route 17: Fulda to Granite Falls to Slayton, Garvin, and Marshall
Constitutional Route 18: Elk River to east of Brainerd via Princeton, Milaca, and Onamia
Constitutional Route 19: Brainerd to Cass Lake via Pine River and Walker
Constitutional Route 20: Iowa to Douglas via Canton, Harmony, Preston, Fountain, Chatfield, Oronoco, Pine Island, Zumbrota, and Cannon Falls
Constitutional Route 21: Zumbrota to St. Peter via Kenyon, Faribault, Le Sueur Center, and Cleveland
Constitutional Route 22: St. Peter to Paynesville via Gaylord, Glencoe, Hutchinson, and Litchfield
Constitutional Route 23: Paynesville to south of Hinckley via St. Cloud, Foley, Milaca, Ogilvie, and Mora
Constitutional Route 24: Litchfield to St. Cloud
Constitutional Route 25: Belle Plaine to Big Lake via Norwood, Watertown, Montrose, Buffalo, and Monticello
Constitutional Route 26: Benson to Ortonville
Constitutional Route 27: St. Cloud to Brainerd via Sauk Rapids, Royalton, and Little Falls
Constitutional Route 28: Little Falls to South Dakota via Sauk Centre, Glenwood, Starbuck, Morris, Graceville, and Browns Valley
Constitutional Route 29: Glenwood to west of Wadena via Alexandria, Parkers Prairie, and Deer Creek
Constitutional Route 30: Fergus Falls to Erskine via Pelican Rapids, Detroit Lakes, and Mahnomen
Constitutional Route 31: Ada to Mahnomen
Constitutional Route 32: east of Crookston to Greenbush via Red Lake Falls, Thief River Falls, and Middle River
Constitutional Route 33: Thief River Falls to Warren
Constitutional Route 34: Detroit to west of Grand Rapids via Park Rapids, Walker, and Remer
Constitutional Route 35: Mille Lacs Lake to Ely via Aitkin, Grand Rapids, Hibbing, Chisholm, Buhl, Mountain Iron, Virginia, Gilbert, McKinley, Biwabik, Aurora, and Tower
Constitutional Route 36: Fergus Falls to east of Henning
Constitutional Route 37: Little Falls to Motley
Constitutional Route 38: Montevideo to Starbuck via Benson
Constitutional Route 39: Mankato to west of Albert Lea via Mapleton, Minnesota Lake, and Wells
Constitutional Route 40: Iowa to Owatonna via Lyle, Austin, and Blooming Prairie
Constitutional Route 41: Blooming Prairie to Hayfield
Constitutional Route 42: east of Rochester to Kellogg via Elgin and Plainview
Constitutional Route 43: Rushford to Winona
Constitutional Route 44: Hokah to Canton via Caledonia
Constitutional Route 45: Wisconsin to St. Paul via Stillwater and Lake Elmo
Constitutional Route 46: Wisconsin to Wyoming via Taylors Falls and Center City
Constitutional Route 47: Slayton to Pipestone
Constitutional Route 48: west of Granite Falls to Canby via Clarkfield
Constitutional Route 49: east of Montevideo to south of Willmar via Clara City
Constitutional Route 50: Cannon Falls to Minneapolis via Farmington
Constitutional Route 51: Shakopee to north of Shakopee
Constitutional Route 52: south of Minneapolis to Fort Snelling towards St. Paul
Constitutional Route 53: Hastings to South St. Paul
Constitutional Route 54: Elbow Lake to Herman
Constitutional Route 55: northwest of Carlton to Cloquet
Constitutional Route 56: east of Austin to Kenyon via Brownsdale, Hayfield, Dodge Center, and West Concord
Constitutional Route 57: Mantorville to south of Mantorville
Constitutional Route 58: Zumbrota to Red Wing
Constitutional Route 59: Iowa to Lake City via Spring Valley, Stewartville, Rochester, Zumbro Falls
Constitutional Route 60: Faribault to Madison Lake via Morristown and Waterville
Constitutional Route 61: Deer River to Big Falls
Constitutional Route 62: Anoka to St. Paul
Constitutional Route 63: south of Forest Lake to Minneapolis
Constitutional Route 64: north of Fergus Falls to south of Moorhead via Rothsay and Barnesville
Constitutional Route 65: Bagley to south of Red Lake Falls via Clearbrook, Gonvick, Gully, Brooks, and Terrebonne
Constitutional Route 66: Montevideo to north of Appleton
Constitutional Route 67: Echo to Granite Falls
Constitutional Route 68: Marshall to Canby via Minneota
Constitutional Route 69: Buffalo to Paynesville via Maple Lake, Annandale, and Eden Valley
Constitutional Route 70: west of New Ulm to Hector via Fort Ridgely and Fairfax
Legislative Route 71: Little Falls, Onamia, Isle, McGrath, and Moose Lake
Legislative Route 72: Bemidji, Waskish, Baudette
Legislative Route 73: Zumbrota, Mazeppa, Zumbro Falls, and Wabasha
Legislative Route 74: Weaver, St. Charles, and Chatfield
Legislative Route 75: Winona to Wisconsin
Legislative Route 76: Wilson, Houston, and Caledonia to Iowa
Legislative Route 77: Rushford, Chatfield, Stewartville, and Hayfield
Legislative Route 78: Rushford to Mabel
Legislative Route 79: Harmony to Iowa
Legislative Route 80: Wykoff to Preston
Legislative Route 81: Austin to LeRoy
Legislative Route 82: Blooming Prairie, Ellendale, Mapleton, and St. James
Legislative Route 83: Mankato to New Ulm
Legislative Route 84: Sleepy Eye, St. James, and Sherburn to Iowa
Legislative Route 85: Windom, Worthington, and Bigelow to Iowa
Legislative Route 86: Iowa to Lakefield, Windom
Legislative Route 87: Wells, Kiester to Iowa
Legislative Route 88: South Dakota to Jasper, Pipestone, Marshall, and Montevideo
Legislative Route 89: Pipestone to South Dakota
Legislative Route 90: Ivanhoe to South Dakota
Legislative Route 91: Iowa to Adrian, Lake Wilson, and Russell
Legislative Route 92: Currie, Jeffers
Legislative Route 93: Redwood Falls, Sleepy Eye
Legislative Route 94: Hastings to Wisconsin
Legislative Route 95: Point Douglas, Bayport, Stillwater, Taylors Falls
Legislative Route 96: Stillwater, New Brighton
Legislative Route 97: Forest Lake, Taylors Falls
Legislative Route 98: Forest Lake, Center City
Legislative Route 99: Le Center, Shields Lake
Legislative Route 100: Gaylord, Henderson, New Prague, Northfield, Cannon Falls and Red Wing
Legislative Route 101: Faribault, Lakeville
Legislative Route 102: Connects Constitutional Route 1 through St. Paul
Legislative Route 103: Connects Constitutional Route 1 through Duluth
Legislative Route 104: Connects Constitutional Route 3 through St. Paul
Legislative Route 105: Connects Washington Avenue with Constitutional Route 5 through Minneapolis
Legislative Route 106: Connects Constitutional Route 8 through Duluth, via the Richard I. Bong Memorial Bridge.
Legislative Route 114: Discontinued and removed
Legislative Route 126: Repealed
Legislative Route 127: Discontinued and removed
Legislative Route 128: Mantorville, Wanamingo, and Hader
Legislative Route 129: Discontinued and removed
Legislative Route 130: Minneapolis, and Fort Snelling via Broadway Ave and Hiawatha Ave
Legislative Route 131: Randall, and Camp Ripley Junction
Legislative Route 132: St. Cloud, Princeton, Cambridge, and Taylors Falls
Legislative Route 133: Braham, West Rock, and Rock Creek, to Wisconsin.
Legislative Route 134: Grasston, and Brook Park
Legislative Route 135: Little Falls, Long Prairie, and Osakis
Legislative Route 136: Bemidji, and Roseau
Legislative Route 137: Garrison, Deerwood, Crosby, and Remer
Legislative Route 138: Walker, and Kabekona
Legislative Route 139: Pine River, and Walker
Legislative Route 140: Baudette, and Wheelers Point
Legislative Route 141: Connects Constitutional Route 4 and Constitutional Route 28 through Sauk Centre
Legislative Route 142: Paynesville, Glenwood, and Elbow Lake to South Dakota
Legislative Route 143: Sunburg, and Glenwood
Legislative Route 144: Madison, Appleton, Morris, and Barrett
Routes 380 to 385 were defined in and after 1975, and "may be added by order of the commissioner of transportation to the trunk highway system"; only 383, 384, and 385 have been added, and 385 no longer exists.
Legislative Route 380: Shepard Road in St. Paul
Legislative Route 381: deleted from the statutes (was a planned extension of the Lafayette Freeway northwest to I-35E)
Legislative Route 382: part of I-35E in St. Paul (actually covered by Route 390)
Legislative Route 383: Bloomington to Brooklyn Park
Legislative Route 384: Eden Prairie to southeast of Minneapolis
Legislative Route 385: deleted from the statutes (was Washington Avenue in Minneapolis)
Routes 390 to 396 were defined in and after the 1950s as portions of the Interstate Highway System "to take advantage of federal aid made available by the United States to the state of Minnesota for highway purposes".
Legislative Route 390: Iowa to Wisconsin (I-35, I-35E, and I-535)
Legislative Route 391: South Dakota to Wisconsin (I-90)
Legislative Route 392: North Dakota to Wisconsin (I-94)
Legislative Route 393: loop around the Twin Cities (I-494 and I-694)
Legislative Route 394: alternate to Route 390 through Minneapolis (I-35W)
Legislative Route 395: Duluth (part of I-35)
Legislative Route 396: Duluth (extension of I-35)
Interstate 394 is not a separate legislative route, instead being parts of Route 10 and Route 107, which carried U.S. Highway 12 along the same alignment before I-394 was built.
