The MnDOT plans a major reconstruction of the Sherburne Avenue-Hwy 10 intersection in 2018 with what will be called a “reduced conflict intersection.” Three MnDOT officials met with the Becker City Council for a half hour Tuesday, detailing the program and saying it would be a best-fit for the intersection, which has seen multiple major-injury crashes in past year.

 

In fact, Tom Dumont of the MnDOT office in Brainerd reports that intersection has had the most crashes on Hwy. 10 in their district’s entire 13-county territory.

 

(The MnDOT and city will stage a public information session on the intersection proposal at the Becker Community Center Aug. 18, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.)

 

The concept of the reduced conflict intersection, which has been constructed in nine other communities in the state, including Willmar, will be to eliminate a highway intrance from southbound Sherburne Avenue traffic, directing it westerly to a turnaround several hundred feet to the west.

 

As the area will be for stacking of traffic, Pine Street access to the highway will be eliminated. Pine Street runs west of the Anderson-Gilyard complex.

 

Once Sherburne Avenue traffic is in the queue heading east on Hwy. 10, it can more safely merge with eastbound highway traffic.

 

Eastbound highway traffic will be able to turn left (northward) onto Sherburne Avenue with a widened intersection.

 

Hwy. 10 traffic intending to turn right (north) onto Sherburne Avenue will have a dedicated turnoff lane, protected by concrete median.

 

Although MnDOT officials did not cite the cost for the project, they will be absorbing nearly all of the charges. Sherburne County, which has jurisdiction over Sherburne Avenue (Co. Rd. 23) will bear some costs for the access point.

The MnDOT officials have shared the plan with the county engineer’s office.

 

“We’re intending to make it (the intersection) safer, yet still balance the needs of the community,” said Eric Schiller of the MnDOT.

 

He reported such intersections have reduced fatalities by 70% and serious injury accidents by 42%.

 

The MnDOT folk showed a 10-minute film based on the construction and operation of a similar reduced conflict intersection in Willmar, Kandiyohi County.

 

There, authorities and business personnel were skeptical of the intersection, but testimonials showed several supported it, as they learned to operate within it.

 

A professional driver noted, “It has made it (the intersection) much safer.”

 

The proposed intersection represents a “quickest best-fix” to the problems experienced, the officials said.

 

A complete reconstruction of the intersection wouldn’t be in the mix for likely 15 years, they said. And traffic lights would not be a best-fix, given the urban-rural nature of the highway as it runs through the community, Dumont said. Thus, a 60-mile-per-hour limit for traffic would likely be continued.

 

The intersection was looked at for a fix by the MnDOT and city officials 20 years ago, but commercial owner opposition to any type of closures led to it being kept as it was.

 

At the time, growing traffic from the industrial park resulted in a lighted intersection at Liberty Lane and Rolling Ridge Road.

 

Much of the local traffic now accesses the highway at that lighted intersection, rather than drivers taking theic chances with the Sherburne Avenue access.

 

The city council has not signed on as in favor of the new proposal; their remarks Tuesday, however, indicated they were in support of it.