Complete Streets in Minnesota communities
Hwy 4 in Cosmos
Background
The purpose of this project was to remedy deteriorated pavement and sidewalks.
The existing highway was 80 feet wide from curb to curb, but it was not a heavily trafficked road segment, so the road could be narrowed to 44 feet. The narrower width allows for wider sidewalks that are buffered from vehicle traffic by strips of grass or landscaping plants and safer crossings for people walking or bicycling across the highway.
Complete Streets elements
Lane adjustment
Narrower travel lanes promote slower driving speeds, contributing to a safer roadway by reducing the severity of crashes and shortening crossing distance.
Travel lanes and shoulders were narrowed to slow driving speed. The lane adjustment allowed for the completion of a connected, six-foot sidewalk on each side of the road and a 12-foot buffer of grass or landscaping on both sides. Angle parking was maintained on two blocks in the downtown area.
Landscaping, aesthetic improvements and lighting
Landscape elements like trees and plantings provide ecological benefits and make the right of way safer and more pleasant for walking or bicycling. Elements of this project that make the sidewalk and trail more inviting include boulevard trees, rain gardens including native species, new light posts and bollards with LEDs, and decorative concrete.
Curb extensions
Curb extensions — also called bulb outs or bump outs —extend a small section of sidewalk into the roadway at intersections or midblock crossings. Curb extensions increase safety and comfort by shortening the distance people walking have to cross and increasing visibility between drivers and people walking.
Before and after
Before
After
Complete Streets themes
Safety
Narrower lanes can result in less aggressive driving and make it easier for drivers to avoid a crash.
Curb extensions increase safety and comfort by shortening the distance people walking have to cross and increasing visibility between drivers and people walking.
Community connectedness
During construction, the City made concurrent improvements to public amenities like the library and community center. The improved sidewalk condition and connectivity made it easier for community members to access these amenities by walking.
Collaboration
There was some resistance to adjusting the width of the lanes, but MnDOT staff worked to come to an agreement with City staff and residents by providing more information about the benefits of the new design.
MnDOT and the City compromised by including a few blocks of parking on one side of the road.
Active transportation
The improved sidewalks along Highway 4 are a popular walking route. Once the project was complete, including improved lighting, more people started using the sidewalks as a recreational walking route at night. The six-foot width allows two people to walk side by side.
Additional examples
In Glencoe, Highway 212 is a four-lane highway through town with a four-way stop intersection. A corridor study raised concerns about speed and safety for people walking or biking through the intersection. A roundabout was selected to make walking and biking across the highway safer.
As part of a pavement preservation project on Highway 75 north of Madison, paved shoulders were extended from two to six feet to accommodate bicycle traffic on the roadway, which is on a bicycle investment route identified through MnDOT’s District 8 Bicycle Plan.