In the early 1970s, then-MHD studied a freeway-grade bypass of Granite Falls for US 212 traffic.  An EIS was completed in 1973 and recommended a southern routing, beginning just west of the MN 67 WEST junction and first going southeast, then turning eastward to parallel existing US 212 about 1/2 mile to the south, rejoining existing US 212 east of Hawk Creek in western Renville County.  The bypass had interchanges proposed at the following locations:

• At MN 67 WEST.
• At a relocated MN 23 WEST, where MN 23 exists today to the south of Granite Falls.  At the time, MN 23 followed MN 67 west out of Granite Falls.
• At a relocated MN 23 EAST, basically an extension of today's MN 23 east of Granite Falls along the Chippewa/Renville County line.  At the time, MN 23 followed Renville CSAH 37 about a mile to the east.

The following map is from the 1973 EIS and shows the alternatives that were considered.  Large (280kb) and Extra-Large (1.3mb) versions are also available:

It is unclear why the bypass was not built.  Presumably, given the timeframe involved, it simply dropped off MnDOT's radar, or the funding problems of the 1970s hindered further development.  Either way, it was not built, and US 212 remains on the same general routing it's followed since 1934.  That said, two items on this map did eventually get built:

• The MN 23 rerouting to the south of Granite Falls was built during the 1978-1981 timeframe.  Previously, MN 23 followed MN 67 west out of Granite Falls, then turned south on Yellow Medicine CSAH 43 to Henley Falls.
• The MN 23 rerouting to the northeast of Granite Falls was built in 1977.  Previously, MN 23 followed a route one mile further east, which is now Renville CSAH 37 and Chippewa CSAH 4.
• Not related to the bypass, but the US 212 bridge over the Minnesota River here was replaced in 1986, replacing the original structure from 1931.

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Page last modified 02 August, 2008