Safety Measures Offered for ‘Challenging’ Maple Grove Intersection
There’s a plan to bring more safety measures to an intersection in Maple Grove that has a high number of traffic crashes. The intersection of Elm Creek Boulevard and Hemlock Lane is one that engineers call “challenging.”
“We looked from 2019 to 2021, there were 47 crashes during that time frame,” said Tom Musick, transportation safety coordinator for Hennepin County. “Sixty-five percent were rear-end crashes, so that’s the challenge that we see that we’re trying to resolve.”
The Metropolitan Council just approved federal funding from the Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IIJA) for a variety of projects, and it includes this Hennepin County project. Federal dollars would cover 1.8 million dollars of the 2.3 million dollar project.
One change to the intersection would be geared to slow down drivers. Crews would remove channelized right-turn islands that encourage faster speeds. Instead, another implemented design would slow down drivers who are making turns.
“We know it’s busy and we know a lot of people live here and shop here, so this is an intersection with a lot of traffic and we do see higher speeds, so a safety program like this is going to address some of those concerns,” said Musick.
Making the intersection safer for pedestrians is also part of the objective. The distance to cross the intersection is wide, so Musick says they would explore ways to make that distance shorter and easier to cross. Updated ADA accommodations would also be added.
Construction isn’t scheduled to begin until 2026. Before then, there will be opportunities for public input.
