The Zim Family Cocker Spaniel Forum

It might be a bit tricky getting to Mankato this weekend (from the north and west anyway). Hwy. 169 is closed all around St. Peter and the flood stage is moving north. By the looks of the pictures on the news, 169 will be closed for a while. I am going to go down I35 to Owatonna, then west on Hwy. 14 (and hope all is wide open on that stretch). It will add some time, but my neighbor came up from Mankato last weekend on their detour and said it took her 2 1/2 hours on county roads. There is a website (www.dot.state.mn.us/floodupdate.html) which lists closed roads. I plan on checking that Friday morning to make sure which way I am going. Who would believe this would be a problem at the beginning of October

So, I would normally take 35 north to Owatonna, then 14 west to Mankato. But I went to this website: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/floodupdate.html and it shows that 14 is water covered near Meridian. It does say partially covered but it also says at the top of the page that it's unpredictable.

I could get off 35 down at Albert Lea and take 13 north up to 14 and bypass the whole Meridian area, but then that site also says that 13 was flooded south of Waseca but is now open.

So which way do you guys think I should go?

I don't know what to tell you - I still haven't decided if I am going down to Owatonna on I35 and across 14 (chancing the "one lane" open) or if I am going to get off I35 at Faribault and go across Hwy 60 to 14 which would avoid Meridan. Its crazy to be worrying about flooding in October. Sorry I can't give you any better advice.

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow - once we get there the worrys will be over. Drive carefully!

I'm planning a route from the twin cities, 35south to 60/Fairbault east on 60 to Mankato, since I checked and saw 169 is still closed from st peter north to Lesuer. will be on the road saturday morning to see you all.

Tina~
That's the route that I took this afternoon and it worked very well.