Iowa Highway 91


Iowa Highway 91 was a short state highway in northwestern Iowa. It began at Iowa 9 between Rock Rapids and Little Rock and ended at the Minnesota state line. It continued north as Minnesota State Highway 91. The highway was part of the primary highway system for 23 years; it was designated in 1980 and removed in 2003. After it was turned over, it became County Road L14.

Route description

Iowa 91 began in rural Lyon County at an intersection with Iowa 9 at a point nearly equidistant to Rock Rapids in the west, Little Rock east, and George south. It headed north over flat terrain with farmland on both sides of the highway. Near the midpoint of the route, it crossed a branch of Tom Creek, which itself is a branch of the Rock River. The highway ended at the Minnesota state line south of Ellsworth. It continued north as Minnesota State Highway 91.

History

Iowa 91 was designated in late 1980 when the Iowa Department of Transportation took over control of County Road K64 in Lyon County; however, it did not show up on the state map until the 1983 edition. The route was paved when it was added to the primary highway system. In 2002, more than of low-traffic state highways, including Iowa 91, were identified by the Iowa DOT because they primarily served local traffic. Typically, when the DOT wished to transfer a road to a county or locality, both parties had to agree to terms and the DOT would have to either improve the road or give money to the other party to maintain the road. However, with the significant mileage the DOT wished to turn over, the Iowa General Assembly passed a law which granted the DOT a one-time exemption from the transfer rules effective July 1, 2003. Iowa 91 was replaced by CR L14.

Major intersections