Background

Flooding in the Minnesota River Valley has created traffic and mobility challenges for MnDOT and local communities for decades. The roadways leading into and out of the City of Henderson (Highways 19 and 93 and County Road 6) have been hit especially hard in recent years, with closures due to flooding reaching an all-time high. During seasonal flooding events, residents and commuters traveling through the area have to resort to detours that take them miles out of their way, costing both time and money. The lengthy detours and restricted access to the Henderson Area can substantially impact local businesses and regional traffic.

As noted in the 2016 Henderson Comprehensive Plan, “every spring when the annual flooding of the Minnesota River begins, and every time a large rain storm is predicted in the summer, the level of concern rises with the water levels as townspeople ask themselves if this will be the next time that the roads into town are flooded or washed-out again and the community becomes stranded with only one way out.”