Highway 22 between Mankato and St Peter opens to traffic, businesses like Chankaska Winery celebrate

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) -

Tinsel, garland, trees and gifts set the stage for the Chankaska Creek cocktail room.

This is one of the winery’s marketing plans to bring customers in via the newly opened Highway 22.

Marketing Director Kelsey Long said, “It’s just kind of a fun tinsel bar vibe going on in here. You can come in here and gather with friends, family, have a cocktail... We have ugly sweater Fridays, and you’ll notice some Christmas music and festivities going on.”

Highway 22 is a main entrance to Chankaska. With the highway being closed since April of this year, the winery had less traffic flow compared to years past.

“People have had to take a little bit longer of a detour to get here or maybe it’s not as convenient to get here. So, we’ve noticed a little bit of an effect through that but were excited now to have it open,” said Long.

The Department of Transportation said it was about time the surface got redone. But the functions of the Highway have changed as well.

MnDOT Project Manager, Todd Kjolstad said, “It was maybe time to widen it a little bit. Also, there was a significant number of accidents some of which were [fatal].”

One Crash on Highway 22 killed two people in March of 2024.

Which is partly why turn lanes were added into the medians and shoulders.

Kjolstad said, “So people are not stacked up in the roadway waiting to turn. Which is a very dangerous thing for the traveling public to have to experience.”

Also, the northern end of 22 features a roundabout in Kasota. “Which is something I know the people of Kasota are going to appreciate,” Kjolstad explained.

But unfortunately, there is more work to be done here. 66% of the project is done but the middle has to be completed when winter thaws next year.

“We’ll let the public know way in advance as to when that’s going to happen,” said Kjolstad. “And it’ll be closed for about the same duration of time.”

Kjostad anticipates next year’s construction to be less of an inconvenience to drivers compared to this year.

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