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Minnesota Notes

Started by Mdcastle, April 18, 2012, 07:54:36 PM

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DJ Particle

I noticed that the new interchange they built on MN-36 at Hadley Avenue didn't get its exit number (11A).

So much for "all new exit sign projects will have exit numbers"...  🤦🏻‍♀️


The Ghostbuster

Is Minnesota going to number all of their freeway and expressway exits like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa have?

TheHighwayMan3561

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on January 21, 2020, 06:11:11 PM
Is Minnesota going to number all of their freeway and expressway exits like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa have?

Given major inconsistency in doing so, my guess is it will be several decades if ever.
self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running

DJ Particle

#903
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on January 21, 2020, 06:17:28 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on January 21, 2020, 06:11:11 PM
Is Minnesota going to number all of their freeway and expressway exits like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa have?

Given major inconsistency in doing so, my guess is it will be several decades if ever.

I was told by them (via their Facebook) that they're doing it during sign replacement projects or new construction.  That's why Exits 1 & 2 on MN-610 have numbers but the rest of the stretch doesn't.  I guess interchange conversion doesn't count as "new construction".

US-52 is kinda spotty on numbers between Rochester and MN-55.  About 50/50  Though Rochester area itself has them. That Rochester stretch was the first non-Interstate in Minnesota to get exit numbers.

US-10/61 around I-494 has a 3-mile stretch with exit numbers (based on US-61's mileage).

US-12 west of I-494 just got numbers...but the exit to CSAH-6 (the western terminus of the freeway portion) still remains unnumbered.

US-169 has exit numbers in the Shakopee area.  I trust the new interchanges they are constructing to extend the freeway will have numbers too.\

MN-62 has exit numbers on its concurrency with MN-55.

Just about every left exit gained a number in the last few years as well.

So it's happening...it's just really inconsistent.

DandyDan

Quote from: DJ Particle on January 22, 2020, 02:01:43 AM
MN-62 has exit numbers on its concurrency with MN-55.
I was recently in the Twin Cities area and thought it was unusual that MN 62 has gone from not being east of the Mendota Bridge to having MN 55 exit from it in Mendota Heights.
MORE FUN THAN HUMANLY THOUGHT POSSIBLE

DJ Particle

Quote from: DandyDan on January 23, 2020, 04:17:33 AM
Quote from: DJ Particle on January 22, 2020, 02:01:43 AM
MN-62 has exit numbers on its concurrency with MN-55.
I was recently in the Twin Cities area and thought it was unusual that MN 62 has gone from not being east of the Mendota Bridge to having MN 55 exit from it in Mendota Heights.
Yeah, that's new as of August 2018.  MN-110 was renumbered to be an extension of MN-62.

bschultzy

62 also has exit #s at the 35W interchange, but I don't believe anywhere west of there.

Quote from: DJ Particle on January 22, 2020, 02:01:43 AM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on January 21, 2020, 06:17:28 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on January 21, 2020, 06:11:11 PM
Is Minnesota going to number all of their freeway and expressway exits like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa have?

Given major inconsistency in doing so, my guess is it will be several decades if ever.

I was told by them (via their Facebook) that they're doing it during sign replacement projects or new construction.  That's why Exits 1 & 2 on MN-610 have numbers but the rest of the stretch doesn't.  I guess interchange conversion doesn't count as "new construction".

US-52 is kinda spotty on numbers between Rochester and MN-55.  About 50/50  Though Rochester area itself has them. That Rochester stretch was the first non-Interstate in Minnesota to get exit numbers.

US-10/61 around I-494 has a 3-mile stretch with exit numbers (based on US-61's mileage).

US-12 west of I-494 just got numbers...but the exit to CSAH-6 (the western terminus of the freeway portion) still remains unnumbered.

US-169 has exit numbers in the Shakopee area.  I trust the new interchanges they are constructing to extend the freeway will have numbers too.\

MN-62 has exit numbers on its concurrency with MN-55.

Just about every left exit gained a number in the last few years as well.

So it's happening...it's just really inconsistent.

DJ Particle

Quote from: bschultzy on January 27, 2020, 01:14:36 PM
62 also has exit #s at the 35W interchange, but I don't believe anywhere west of there.
Only the left exits though.  Most of the left exits got numbers, including Exit 236 on US-10.

AFAIK, Exit 63 on MN-5 (MSP Airport) is the only left exit w/o an exit number tab at this time.

Papa Emeritus

The Minneapolis Star Tribune is reporting that the cost of converting Ayd Mill Road in St Paul into a three lane road, with one lane for bikes and pedestrians, has increased to $7.5 Million. The article also says Ayd Mill Road burns up 1/3 of the city's pothole budget every year. Here's a link to the article:

http://www.startribune.com/cost-for-fixing-ayd-mill-road-in-st-paul-soars-to-7-5-million/567806142/

My favorite quote in the article is that one St Paul city council member questions the plan, and says "We've seen numerous times where, when we rush through a project, we tend to make a lot of mistakes,"  he said. "This doesn't give us a lot of confidence."

Personally, I think St Paul should invest the money to keep it a 4 lane quasi-freeway, and invest the money to make sure the pavement is durable. I know that's too much to hope for.......

Here's a link to another article, from last summer, about Ayd Mill's problem plagued history. It really should have been a four lane freeway link between I-94 and I-35E, but politicians avoided making the tough decisions required to do so.

http://www.startribune.com/st-paul-mayor-pitches-green-option-for-crumbling-ayd-mill-road/558253492/?refresh=true

texaskdog

Quote from: Papa Emeritus on February 13, 2020, 04:31:12 AM
The Minneapolis Star Tribune is reporting that the cost of converting Ayd Mill Road in St Paul into a three lane road, with one lane for bikes and pedestrians, has increased to $7.5 Million. The article also says Ayd Mill Road burns up 1/3 of the city's pothole budget every year. Here's a link to the article:

http://www.startribune.com/cost-for-fixing-ayd-mill-road-in-st-paul-soars-to-7-5-million/567806142/

My favorite quote in the article is that one St Paul city council member questions the plan, and says “We’ve seen numerous times where, when we rush through a project, we tend to make a lot of mistakes,” he said. “This doesn’t give us a lot of confidence.”

Personally, I think St Paul should invest the money to keep it a 4 lane quasi-freeway, and invest the money to make sure the pavement is durable. I know that's too much to hope for.......

Here's a link to another article, from last summer, about Ayd Mill's problem plagued history. It really should have been a four lane freeway link between I-94 and I-35E, but politicians avoided making the tough decisions required to do so.

http://www.startribune.com/st-paul-mayor-pitches-green-option-for-crumbling-ayd-mill-road/558253492/?refresh=true

Yeah, it's 2/14 and apparently people are going to ride bikes to work.  they should connect it to I-94 and remove all exit ramps (entrance ramps only).  Problem solved.

DJ Particle

Wasn't Ayd Mill Rd originally supposed to be a re-routed MN-51?

TheHighwayMan3561

Quote from: DJ Particle on February 17, 2020, 02:51:12 AM
Wasn't Ayd Mill Rd originally supposed to be a re-routed MN-51?

That wouldn't have been allowed because the legislative route definition of MN 51 requires it to be on Snelling south of 94, unless that clause was added for the purpose of keeping it off Ayd Mill.
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MNHighwayMan

Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on February 17, 2020, 03:04:56 AM
Quote from: DJ Particle on February 17, 2020, 02:51:12 AM
Wasn't Ayd Mill Rd originally supposed to be a re-routed MN-51?
That wouldn't have been allowed because the legislative route definition of MN 51 requires it to be on Snelling south of 94, unless that clause was added for the purpose of keeping it off Ayd Mill.

My understanding is that that is exactly the reason it is worded that way.

froggie

^ That is correct.

Early 1960's plans had a full freeway Ayd Mill from 35E and directly tying into Snelling just north of Marshall, then continuing north along Snelling.  It's reasonable to conclude that this was originally intended as a MN 51 freeway.

The legislation that specifically keeps 51 on Snelling south of 94 was enacted in the mid-70s and was championed by Ayd Mill freeway opponents.

texaskdog

Why on earth you'd want all that traffic on Lexington instead of Ayd Mill is beyond me

DJ Particle

I gather MN-51 was meant to be a freeway corridor at one point, simply due to the portions that *were* built (Ayd Mill Rd (proposed), Pierce Butler to Como, County B to County C, (mostly) Hamline to 694)

Papa Emeritus

MNDoT announced a major reconstruction of Highway 61. Two areas will be rebuilt: the stretch through Grand Marais, and another stretch further north, through the Grand Portage Indian Reservation.

Here's a link to an article about the project:

http://www.startribune.com/major-roadwork-is-coming-to-north-end-of-the-north-shore-this-summer/568064292/

TheHighwayMan3561

#917
I had known about the planned Grand Marais rebuild for a couple years, but the Grand Portage part is news to me. The reconstruction through Grand Portage is much needed.

I was partially surprised the Grand Marais stoplight at 61 and Broadway wasn't planned to be replaced with a roundabout, but the hilly terrain of Broadway may have had something to do with keeping the stoplight. In any case, "the stoplight" is a key part of local directions and situational awareness. Probably ROW acquisition costs as well.
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TheHighwayMan3561

I was thinking about that Grand Portage project over the last few days and how I had never heard of it until now, and I realized it was probably something that couldn't happen until Cook County finally put money into rebuilding decrepit County 17/old US 61 since it's the only viable detour route (the only possible detour route, period) for much of that stretch. That project wrapped up last fall.
self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running

froggie

^ According to the project website, the work is being done while maintaining traffic on 61.  There are short bypasses at a few bridge/culvert work sites, but they are not using County 17 for a detour.

TheHighwayMan3561

self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running

Papa Emeritus

Minneapolis finally agreed to purchase the KMart on Lake Street yesterday. It will close on June 30, and be torn down soon afterward so Nicollet Avenue can be re opened north of Lake Street. Allowing the KMart to sever one of the main north / south streets in Minneapolis when it was built in the late 1970s is one of the worst mistakes Minneapolis has ever made.

DJ Particle

Quote from: Papa Emeritus on March 06, 2020, 03:36:48 AM
Minneapolis finally agreed to purchase the KMart on Lake Street yesterday. It will close on June 30, and be torn down soon afterward so Nicollet Avenue can be re opened north of Lake Street. Allowing the KMart to sever one of the main north / south streets in Minneapolis when it was built in the late 1970s is one of the worst mistakes Minneapolis has ever made.

I'd love to see "Eat Street" extended to 31st!  😊

texaskdog


TheHighwayMan3561

Quote from: texaskdog on March 09, 2020, 12:15:06 PM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on March 05, 2020, 08:47:40 PM
Minneapolis and St. Paul will be collaborating to lower speed limits cities-wide next week.

http://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-st-paul-to-lower-speed-limits-together-this-spring/568524002/?fbclid=IwAR1VBwuuO0ECKoNnb_2xOOAyt93sSKli3s1DX6HWRHlMmXa5XJaK1bo4QUU

"progress"

And just in. 20 MPH on residential streets, 25 on city arterials, 30 elsewhere. The big problem I think is Minneapolis really wants to do something about Lyndale, but can't because that's CSAH.
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