Hwy 14 and Co. Rd. 9 — J-turn
About the project
We are planning several improvements on Hwy 14 from east of Hwy 56 in Dodge Center to west of Co. Rd. 5 / 2nd Ave. in Byron. Construction is expected to take place spring 2024 with the following improvements:
- Construct a J-turn (also known as a Reduced Conflict Intersection) at Hwy 14 and Co. Rd. 9
- Install a high-tension cable median barrier between Dodge Center and Kasson
- Resurface pavement between Kasson and Byron
- Improve and repair drainage
- Rehabilitate the eastbound and westbound Hwy 14 bridges over Hwy 57. The work includes new end posts, approach panels and expansion joints
- Upgrade the Road Weather Information System (RWIS) site near Byron with new pavement sensors and processing unit
The team looked at the three other intersections between Kasson and Byron. This project will not make changes at those intersections. We will take another look with a future project.
Hwy 14 and Co. Rd. 9 intersection
The Hwy 14 and Co. Rd. 9 intersection ha
Current Hwy 14 and Co. Rd. 9 intersection, looking norths a high risk for severe crashes due to the multi-lane crossing and high traffic speeds. There have been 18 crashes in the past ten years. Three of these crashes involved injuries and one resulted in a fatality. Because of this, we have been evaluating options for the intersection. After evaluation and collaboration with stakeholders and the community over the past year, the preferred option determined is to build a J-turn at the Hwy 14 and Co. Rd. 9 intersection.
Learn more about J-turns and how they reduce risks for severe crashes.
Preferred J-turn design
We found that of the two J-turn designs being evaluated, the community preferred Design Alternative 1, which allows drivers to turn left from Hwy 14 onto Co. Rd. 9 without using the median U-turn.
Read more about the design's features, how the public was involved, and what to expect in the information tab.
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Design Alternative 1 chosen for Hwy 14 and Co. Rd. 9 intersection
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We are moving forward with the design of Alternative 1 for the Hwy 14 and Co. Rd. 9 intersection.Two J-turn designs were evaluated. Alternative 1 allows drivers to turn left from Hwy 14 directly onto Co. Rd. 9. Alternative 2 requires drivers turning left off of the highway to use the median U-turn. We found that a majority of community members preferred Alternative 1 over Alternative 2.With Alternative 1, drivers approaching Hwy 14 from Co. Rd. 9 will not be able to turn left at the intersection where they do today. Instead, drivers will turn right into a wide left turn lane and then make a U-turn at a designated median opening. This means that drivers from Co. Rd. 9 will only have to look in one direction of traffic on Hwy 14 at a time.The design also features a wider shoulder and U-turn space. This will help large vehicles and agricultural equipment maneuver through the J-turn. Drivers will benefit by reduced travel time for vehicles crossing the highway. Separate left turn lanes will keep Hwy 14 traffic separate from traffic entering from Co. Rd. 9.Hwy 14 and 260th Ave. intersection
After initial community feedback, we decided to not close the median at the Hwy 14 and 260th Ave. Future plans for the intersection will be discussed in future projects.
Future public meeting
A third public meeting will be held in 2023. The goal will be to let people know what they can expect from construction in 2024. We will also have information on how to navigate a J-turn.Thank you for your input over the last year. We began reaching out to the community in May 2022. This included in-person and virtual public meetings, online and paper surveys, newspaper and social media advertisements, as well as letters, postcards and emails to stakeholders. The feedback that we received has been incredibly helpful in determining the next steps of the project. -
Public Meeting Materials, September 2022
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We presented these materials at a public meeting on September 20, 2022. People were asked to review then and participate in a survey. The survey has since closed.
Crashes
In the past ten years, there have been 18 crashes at County Road 9
Among the 18 crashes:
- Three were north of Highway 14 at the railroad crossing
- Three were run off the road, not specific to the intersection
Crossing or turning left across oncoming traffic is the number one risk at intersections like Highway 14 and County Road 9. This type of crossing has more conflict points, which leads to more frequent and severe crashes.
Reduced conflict intersection
What is an RCI?
Reduced Conflict Intersections (RCIs) are intersections that decrease fatalities and injuries. With an RCI, drivers from the side street only have to be concerned with one direction of traffic on the highway at a time. You don't need to wait for a gap in both directions to cross a major road.
What are the benefits?
Improved safety: Studies show an 86 percent reduction in fatalities and a 46 percent reduction in injury crashes where RCIs are used.
Faster to build: RCIs can be designed and built in approximately one year. Interchanges typically take 3-5 years.
Lower cost: RCIs are often less expensive than constructing an intersection with a stop light and are a fraction of the cost of building an interchange.
How are they used?
Motorists approaching divided highways from a side street are not allowed to make left turns or cross; instead, they will turn right onto the highway and then make a U-turn at a designated median opening. This reduces potential conflict points and increases safety.
Design alternative 1
Features:
- Fewer potential conflict points
- Increased safety
From Highway 14: Motorists approaching from Highway 14 are allowed to make left turns onto County Road 9.
From County Road 9: Motorists approaching Highway 14 from County Road 9 are not allowed to turn left at the intersection where they do today. Instead, motorists will turn right into a wide left turn lane and then make a U-turn at a designated median opening.
Design alternative 1 turn movements
Design alternative 2
Features:
- Fewer potential conflict points
- Increased safety
From Highway 14: Motorists approaching from Highway 14 are not allowed to make left turns onto County Road 9. Instead, they are required to make a U-turn at a designated median opening.
From County Road 9: Motorists approaching Highway 14 from County Road 9 are not allowed to turn left at the intersection where they do today. Instead, motorists will turn right into a wide left turn lane and then make a U-turn at a designated median opening.
Design alternative 2 turn movements
Sight distance
Both design alternatives 1 and 2 allow for more than the required sight distance.
What is sight distance? Sight distance is the distance along the road a person can see an object that is a specified height above the road. As sight distance gets shorter, drivers become less certain that it is safe to pull out onto the road.
How much sight distance is needed? The rule of thumb we use is the distance an oncoming vehicle travels in 10 seconds. For a 70 MPH design, that distance is 1,029’. The drawings here show the sight distance for a passenger car (where the driver’s eye is 3.5’ above the ground) and a semi-truck (the driver’s eye is 7.6’ above the ground) and they want to see the windshield of an approaching car (3.5’ above ground).
Animation video
Animation video showing truck and agricultural vehicle movements through the RCI. NOTE: Vehicle speeds in the video have been proportionally reduced for viewing.
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Contacts
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Email tom.austin@state.mn.us -
Phone 507-951-6593 Email cindy.morgan@state.mn.us