Complete Streets in Minnesota communities
Hwy 15 in Kimball
Background
Highway 15 runs north-south through Kimball, connecting Highway 55 with Kimball’s Main St. The reconstruct began at Highway 55 and extended to Willow Creek Park on the south side of the city.
The project was initiated to fix deteriorating road surface, replace curb and gutter, and replace underground utilities such as the storm water drainage system. Additionally, MnDOT ADA wanted to improve pedestrian infrastructure by extending sidewalks to pedestrian destinations on both ends of the corridor.
Complete Streets elements
Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) include flashing lights that can be activated manually by a pedestrian to increase driver awareness at uncontrolled intersections, especially at night. RRFBs are a proven safety countermeasure by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), demonstrating a 47% reduction in vehicle-pedestrian crashes.
Lane Adjustments
Narrower travel lanes promote slower driving speeds, contributing to a safer roadway by reducing the severity of crashes and shortening the crossing distance. The additional space can be used to increase safe multimodal facilities, like bike paths and wider sidewalks. In Kimball, driving lanes were condensed to 11 feet and parking lanes were condensed to 10 feet.
Aesthetic improvements and lighting
Decorative lighting and more connected sidewalks create a more comfortable streetscape for pedestrians. Pedestrians and businesses thrive where sidewalks have been designed at an appropriate scale, with sufficient lighting and street-level activity.
Multi-use trail
A sidewalk extension was installed along Highway 15, north of Highway 55. This increased separation from vehicle traffic can increase comfort for people walking and biking.
Before and after
Before
After
Complete Streets themes
Community
MnDOT held open houses, spoke at city council meetings, and attended a Chamber of Commerce meeting to solicit feedback from residents. MnDOT also included RRFBs at the City’s request to replace pedestrian crossing signs at two intersections.
Economics
Sidewalks were extended to support access to local amenities by better connecting residential areas with businesses. Driving and parking lanes were not narrowed past 11 feet and 10 feet respectively to ensure adequate space for freight traffic to move through the corridor and ease of access for customers to local goods and services.
Safety
Safety was a top priority for the city and for MnDOT throughout the project. The finished corridor included traffic calming measures, sidewalk extensions, and RRFBs. New sidewalks south of Linden Ave. to Willow Creek Park and north of Spruce Ave. E to Hwy 55 also now provide a safe, separated facility for residents. The only route for pedestrians before the new sidewalk was walking along the shoulders of the road, which was particularly dangerous in the winter with icy conditions.