Portage, MN truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Portage: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Portage and St. Louis County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use St. Louis County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
5.0 deaths per 100 garbage-truck crashes vs 5.4 for all trucks.
Deadliest roads
No fatal large-truck crashes with a road name recorded here since 2015.
How St. Louis County compares with Minnesota
St. Louis County against Minnesota and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where St. Louis County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | St. Louis County | Minnesota | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 27.0 | 39.0 | 49.7 | 31% below the state |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 5.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 1.8× the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.38 | 0.37 | 0.49 | same |
| Garbage-truck share | 3.4% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.2× the state |
| On snow, slush or ice | 34.0% | 25.6% | 6.2% | 1.3× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 29.1% | 27.0% | 23.7% | 1.1× the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 22.3% | 19.1% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 52.3% | 46.2% | 41.9% | 1.1× the state |
| After dark | 15.4% | 20.3% | 24.8% | 24% below the state |
Compared with Minnesota, St. Louis County is lower on crashes per 100k residents / yr and after dark. It runs above Minnesota on deaths per 100 crashes, garbage-truck share and on snow, slush or ice.
St. Louis County at a glance: 5.4 deaths per 100 truck crashes, vs 3.0 in Minnesota.
Overview
Since 2015, 632 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in St. Louis County. They injured 250 people and killed 32.
That averages about one truck crash every 7 days in fully reported years.
Portage had 0 reported truck crashes since 2015, too few for reliable patterns, so the charts and findings on this page use St. Louis County numbers.
When crashes happen
January has the most truck crashes, 14.1% of the yearly total, while April has the fewest (5.4%).
Winter months (Nov–Mar) carry 52.3% of truck crashes, vs 46.2% for Minnesota.
By time of day, 8–9 am stands out with 9.8% of truck crashes.
Snow, slush or ice was on the road in 34.0% of truck crashes, compared with 25.6% in Minnesota.
Where crashes happen
NHTSA lists no located fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Portage since 2015.
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage trucks account for 21 of the truck crashes here, or 3.3%, compared with 2.8% in Minnesota.
Their busiest month is December, with 24% of garbage-truck crashes.
Per 100 crashes, garbage trucks recorded 5.0 deaths compared with 5.4 for all trucks.
Route planning tips for Portage fleets
- Build extra time into January routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Waste haulers: December is the peak month for garbage-truck crashes in St. Louis County.
- Morning starts matter: 29.1% of truck crashes fall between 6 and 10 am, higher than Minnesota.
- With 34.0% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above Minnesota), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Paste your stops into the free Route Planner to see the risk score, safer alternatives and low bridges.
About the data
Sources: the FMCSA crash file for all reported truck crashes and NHTSA FARS for fatal crashes with a large truck. Every statement here comes straight from those numbers.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in St. Louis County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
No fatal crashes involving a large truck with a road name were recorded within 10 miles since 2015.
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (St. Louis County) |
|---|---|
| Usth 53 | 90 |
| I-35 | 40 |
| Usth 2 | 26 |
| Usth 169 | 26 |
| Miller Trunk Hwy | 16 |
| Hwy | 11 |
| Mnth 135 | 10 |
| Mnth 73 | 10 |
Portage at a glance
| Population | 164 |
| Land area | 138.7 sq mi |
| Density | 1 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 55771) | $67,667 |
| Median home value (ZIP 55771) | $172,100 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in St. Louis County since the 1990s
Combines the FMCSA crash file (all reported truck crashes, real coverage from about 1990) with NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes involving a large truck, 1982–2024).
| Decade | Truck crashes / yr | Change | Fatal crashes / yr (FARS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12 | — | 2.5 |
| 2000s | 58 | +381% | 3.1 |
| 2010s | 56 | -2% | 2.0 |
| 2020s | 51 | -9% | 2.4 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 12 to 51. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal large-truck crashes: 1.8 a year in 2016–19, 2.4 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Portage
How many truck crashes happen in Portage?
Since 2015, 632 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in St. Louis County (250 injured, 32 killed).
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Portage?
January has the most truck crashes in St. Louis County, 14.1% of the yearly total.
How many garbage truck accidents happen in Portage?
Garbage trucks were involved in 21 reported crashes in St. Louis County since 2015 (3.3% of truck crashes).
What is the truck crash rate in Portage compared with Minnesota?
St. Louis County records 27.0 truck crashes per 100,000 residents a year, against 39.0 across Minnesota.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Portage?
Use the free Route Planner: enter your stops to get a risk score, safer alternatives and the low bridges on your route.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.