Complete Streets in Minnesota communities
Hwys 371 and 2 in Cass Lake
Background
Highway 371 runs north-south through Cass Lake. Highway 2 separates a residential area on the south side of the road from businesses, tribal resources, and the tribal government center on the north side.
This stretch of Highway 371 had very old pavement and no sidewalk, so community members had to walk and bike along the road to get to destinations on the other side of town.
Cass Lake is the headquarters location of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. Two-thirds of the city’s population is American Indian.
A shared-use trail south of town connects to an area school and a county road. The Leech Lake tribal government identified extending the trail north through town as a priority and offered to participate in funding, but was not required to contribute because adding sidewalks was a priority for MnDOT.
Complete Streets elements
Shared-use path
A side path is a type of shared-use path that is parallel to a roadway but is physically separated from motor vehicle traffic with a curb and buffer of grass or landscaping. Increased separation from vehicle traffic increases comfort for people walking and biking. A shared-use path is more likely to attract community members who are interested in bicycling, but prefer a low-stress environment.
Lane adjustment
Narrower travel lanes promote slower driving speeds, contributing to a safer roadway by reducing the severity of crashes and shortening crossing distance. The additional space can be used to increase access to safe multimodal options, like bicycling facilities and wider sidewalks.
Vehicle travel lanes and shoulders were narrowed to slow vehicle speed and provide new bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The wide right-of-way allowed for the addition of a sidewalk on one side of the road, a shared-use path on the other, and grass boulevards on both sides without expanding the right-of-way.
Before and after
Before
After
Complete Streets themes
Community connectedness
The improved walking and bicycle infrastructure allows Cass Lake residents and visitors to walk or bike to destinations north of Highway 2 including employment centers like the hotel and casino, and services such as the Indian Health Service clinic and tribal government buildings. The improved traffic signal at the intersection of Highways 371 and 2 provides a safer crossing.
Active transportation
Sidewalks on one side of Highway 371 and a shared-use path on the other provide a safe, comfortable, and convenient option for people to walk and bike as part of their daily activities in Cass Lake.
Safety
The comfort and safety of walking and biking along the roadway has been much improved by separating people walking and biking from traffic with the addition of a sidewalk and shared-use trail.
Narrowing travel lanes can help reduce vehicle travel speed, which greatly reduces the impact and likelihood of crashes.
Collaboration
The Leech Lake Tribe, the City of Cass Lake and MnDOT collaborated on this project. The Tribe prioritized providing a sidewalk or trail along Highway 371 and connecting the new trail to existing trails.
Additional example
Other projects in the district have included similarly dramatic improvements for people walking and biking. For example, Highway 1 in Thief River Falls had narrow sidewalks on either side of the road. The community advocated to change the layout of the right-of-way to include a shared-use path on one side and maintain a sidewalk on the other side. This new trail connects a residential area to a community college and city recreation fields. Local youth can now safely walk or ride their bikes to the recreation fields.