No Cars, No Crowds: Minnesota’s Least Busy Highway Now Revealed

While Minnesota is home to 10,000 Lakes, our fair state is also home to lots of busy highways and interstates, as well. But not this corridor, because it's now the least busy highway in the entire state-- and you won't believe how few vehicles actually use it.

When it comes to roads and highways, Minnesota has some of the most of any state in the country. According to the Minnesota Legislature website, there are about 135,000 miles of highways that traverse the North Star State.

Minnesota Has Over 135,000 Miles of Roads—But Not All Are Busy

Here's how that total breaks down:

• Interstate and state trunk highways - 11,897 miles
• County state-aid highways and county highways - 45,211 miles
• City streets - 18,975 miles
• Town roads - 54,785 miles
• Other roads (state and US Forest roads, Indian reservation roads, roads in unorganized townships) - 4,423 miles
• Total street/road/highway mileage in Minnesota: 135,000 miles

But of course, not all of those roads and highways have the same amount of traffic. Some highways and interstates in the Twin Cities metro area are much busier than a rural highway in outstate Minnesota.

This Is the Least Busy Highway in Minnesota—By a Long Shot

Which is the case for Minnesota's least busy highway. The busiest corridor in the North Star State is I-35 W in Hennepin County, which sees an average of 163,400 vehicles zoom through every single day, according to MinnesotaGo.

ALSO INTERESTING: This Highway is the Longest in Minnesota

Meanwhile, the least busy highway here in Minnesota only sees an average of 74 vehicles a day, which makes sense, seeing as a part of this state highway is pretty much just a gravel road.

Why Part of Minnesota State Highway 74 Is Still a Gravel Road

So which highway is Minnesota's least busy and loneliest? That honor goes to Minnesota State Highway 74. Minnesota State Highway 74. It runs between St. Charles in Winona County, north to Weaver in Wabasha County, and features a 7-mile stretch that is unpaved.

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That stretch of Minnesota State Highway 74 is the only state highway in all of Minnesota that's still made of gravel. The unpaved stretch currently starts at Winona County Rd 30 and runs north through Whitewater State Park and the park management area.

Minnesota's Department of Transportation (MnDOT) says that stretch is still unpaved, because maintenance crews are 'unable keep up with how that stretch of road is deteriorating, and there is not sufficient funding to reconstruct and pave the road,' a 2023 release noted.

SEE ALSO: Can You Legally Pass a Snowplow on the Highway in Minnesota?

So while the Twin Cities retains the title of being home to the busiest highway in the state, southeast Minnesota will retain the honor of having the least busy, loneliest, and only state highway-- out of 11,000 miles of state highways MnDOT says are here in Minnesota-- that's still made of gravel.

Seeing a state highway that's pretty much a gravel road in spots might be something that would surprise visitors to Minnesota. But it's not the ONLY thing... keep scrolling to check out some other items that might surprise first-time visitors to the North Star State!

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