Highway 169 Corridor Coalition Dissolution in 2026:
Since its founding in 2009, the U.S. Highway 169 Corridor Coalition has served as a powerful regional voice for safety, mobility, and economic vitality along the US-169 corridor. From Mankato to Edina, our cities and counties came together to:
- Advocate for critical infrastructure investments
- Elevate the corridor in state and federal planning
- Deliver transformative projects like the award-winning US-169/I-494 Interchange
Thank you to all who contributed to this effort!
With our mission fulfilled and member jurisdictions now equipped to pursue corridor priorities independently, the Coalition’s leadership facilitated an orderly and transparent dissolution of the Coalition.
Together, we’ve supported:
• 1 million employees and 60% of Minnesota’s Fortune 500 companies
• 45,000 students and faculty at post-secondary institutions
• Key freight and agricultural connections, including the Ports of Savage
• Renewable energy growth and future transit potential
Important accomplishments include:
• 11 major interchange and safety upgrades
• Flood mitigation and grade separations
• Transit hubs and trail connectivity
• A shared vision for corridor-wide prosperity
• Our flagship achievement—the US-169/I-494 Interchange—not only relieved one of the metro’s worst bottlenecks but also helped attract major development to Shakopee and beyond.
Our Mission has been to work together to enhance safety, reduce congestion and maximize economic development along the U.S. Highway 169 interregional corridor.
About US 169 Corridor:
From Mankato to Interstate 694
The U.S. Highway 169 (US-169) corridor plays a key role in moving goods produced in south-central and southwestern Minnesota to regional and international markets. This major freight route accesses principal highways, rail lines and the largest intermodal inland waterway grain facility in the upper Midwest (the Ports of Savage). In the last two decades, the highway has also grown in importance as a corridor for commuter traffic.
For US-169 to Remain a Viable, Efficient Conduit
For the movement of goods and people, congestion in the corridor must be successfully addressed. Increases in traffic have resulted in longer, more hazardous travel times. This, in turn, has a negative effect on the corridor’s ability to connect with other parts of the state and the region, as well as to national and international markets. Maintaining the viability and efficiency of the corridor mandates a long-term commitment to a series of improvements designed to enhance the flow of traffic, both commuter and commercial, along this increasingly congested highway system.
To Bring Attention to the Needs of the US-169 Corridor
In 2008 communities and counties, from Mankato in Blue Earth County to Bloomington and Edina in Hennepin County, began a series of meetings. In the spring of 2009, the U.S. Highway 169 Corridor Coalition was officially established to advocate for the corridor.