Road Geek Topics

[Cat385]

Smurfs be running rampant there.

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

[Anondson]

Minnesota highways will start getting 6” fog lines to replace the 4”.

https://www.startribune.com/wider-fog-l ... 600151227/

Studies showed the wider lines reduces totally crashes as well as fatal crashes, particularly effective in rural areas.

I wonder what types of urban highways will get these lives and will the extra 2” get added on the inside or outside?

[COLSLAW5]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dk8uhfFCtM0

interesting video on how to handle bike boulevard crossings at busier through streets

[twincitizen]

Regarding jurisdictional transfers / turnbacks (e.g. MnDOT to County, or County to City), I came across this map in Hennepin County's 2040 transportation plan. Circa 2018, so nothing new and has probably been shared here before, but interesting to look at. These are not set in stone to actually happen, but gives a clue to as to the County staff's thinking.

For example in Northeast, the County suggests taking over 65 and 47 from MnDOT within Mpls city limits (they have no control over what happens north of 37th Avenue NE), while also turning Marshall and Stinson over to the City. On the Southside, the County suggests turning over 26th Ave (Franklin to Lake), 42nd St (Cedar to Minnehaha Ave), and Xerxes/York (50th to 494). Those changes all make sense to me.

Map on Page 61 https://www.hennepin.us/-/media/hennepi ... tation.pdf

[Anondson]

Supposedly Blake Road was to be turned over to Hopkins when the reconstruction was over. I think it is still pending.

[Didier]

Didn’t Nick say this couldn’t happen?

https://www.startribune.com/plane-inter ... 600283286/

[gopherfan]

White Bear Lake is discussing the effect of a study reducing residential speed limits from 30 mph to 25mph for the past year at their council meeting tomorrow. Spoiler alert, speed stayed the same or actually increased! The report also shares analysis from other cities (unnamed) where they have seen the same results.

[thespeedmccool]

I wonder if there's state appetite to reduce the residential speed limit to 25 statewide (it is 30 currently, right?)

I know after a study, cities can set it to 20, but it should probably be allowed without a study. I know there's good reason to evaluate any government change before it's implemented, but that really seems like something city councils could manage without a study.

[Korh]

imo not gonna do much unless they reconstruct it so people will feel more comfortable driving slower. heck I think I remember reading somewhere that lining the street with some big ass trees right along the curb was enough to get drivers to slow down a bit.

[thespeedmccool]

imo not gonna do much unless they reconstruct it so people will feel more comfortable driving slower. heck I think I remember reading somewhere that lining the street with some big ass trees right along the curb was enough to get drivers to slow down a bit.

Oh yeah, I'm under no delusions that it would make a huge impact, but it would be a good step in the right direction toward changing the culture around speed and driving. If kids were being taught in drivers' ed that the residential speed limit was 25 and not 30, it might at least reduce speeds by a mile per hour or two. A statewide change would certainly have a greater impact than just White Bear Lake doing it.

[alexschief]

Obviously a road's design speed is more important than its posted speed.

That said, I do think there are regional difference in driving speed that likely make a difference in crash outcomes. I always think about my experience driving in Georgia where the average speed of highway traffic seemed to be in the 80's, while it's certainly in the 70's in Minnesota.

While nothing beats reconstructing roads, I think that widely decreasing speed limits in residential areas might lead (over time) to culture shifts in the state that will save lives. As would, I hope, making information about crash outcomes at different speeds something that every license applicant has to demonstrate knowledge of. I know that at the very least, this knowledge has changed my driving behavior.

[DanPatchToget]

While nothing beats reconstructing roads, I think that widely decreasing speed limits in residential areas might lead (over time) to culture shifts in the state that will save lives. As would, I hope, making information about crash outcomes at different speeds something that every license applicant has to demonstrate knowledge of. I know that at the very least, this knowledge has changed my driving behavior.

Regarding crash outcomes, in high school driver's ed they tried to drill into our heads to go the speed limit, but from what I can remember they didn't go into much detail about why we should be going the speed limit. As teens who think they're invincible we went over the speed limit anyway, and I think for many that continues into adulthood.

[Mdcastle]

Considering engineers have been telling us for years that road design dictactes speed, and speed limits should be based on road design and not made-up numbers, I find it hilarious that some people are just finding out now that replacing one made-up number with another has esssentially nil practical effect.

[amiller92]

It gives people who are actually careful about the speed they go permission to go a little slower and worry less about the person behind them. But there aren't very many of us and it actually is hard to drive slower than the design speed.

[Trademark]

While nothing beats reconstructing roads, I think that widely decreasing speed limits in residential areas might lead (over time) to culture shifts in the state that will save lives. As would, I hope, making information about crash outcomes at different speeds something that every license applicant has to demonstrate knowledge of. I know that at the very least, this knowledge has changed my driving behavior.

Regarding crash outcomes, in high school driver's ed they tried to drill into our heads to go the speed limit, but from what I can remember they didn't go into much detail about why we should be going the speed limit. As teens who think they're invincible we went over the speed limit anyway, and I think for many that continues into adulthood.

Same, and that also went alongside in my case friends who would encourage me to be more reckless. And me never getting in an accident that was my fault, helped build up that false sense of security. I'm definitely much more careful now especially on side streets. And go at the speed limit. And it's something I'm trying to explain to my gf's little sister who I'm helping to teach how to drive. When your young, you need a reason of why to not do something not just an adult telling you not to do something.

[Anondson]

Designing roads to divert rain for agricultural storage and use, rather than diverted into storm water.

https://www.wired.com/story/this-radica ... lly-works/

[twincitizen]

I was searching for info on another potential jurisdiction turnback, and came across this from Dellwood: https://www.dellwood.us/potential-trans ... isdiction/

MnDOT wants to turnback TH-244 and Washington County doesn't want it, so it would fall to Mahtomedi and Dellwood, if they choose to accept it. If the cities decline, it would remain a MnDOT road.