The purpose of this study is to build upon previous transportation studies completed by us and Dakota County to reflect current and future transportation needs of the Hwy 52, Hwy 55, and Co. Rd 42 roadway systems. In addition, the study outcomes will take into consideration future project investments and identify a set of financial recommendations to maximize benefits in the area.
Throughout the last 30 years, several projects have laid the groundwork of expanding the Hwy 52 and Co. Rd. 42 interchange to support rerouting Hwy 55. With current industrial developments being built along Hwy 55 and Co. Rd. 42, travel demands through this area have or will continue to increase. This study allows city and county partners the opportunity to evaluate the benefits of rerouting Hwy 55 to Hwy 52 and Co. Rd. 42, unite stakeholders behind a long-term vision for the study area, and identify funding for a 2029-2032 project.
The public will have the opportunity to provide feedback throughout the study. The study will also include targeted stakeholder outreach in the beginning stages of the process.
Summary of work
Collect information on issues and opportunities
Engage with specific businesses and property owners as well as government stakeholders
Understand safety concerns from residents and business owners
Traffic volumes
A traffic analysis was conducted of the Hwy 52 and Hwy 55 interchanges, as well as the Hwy 55 and Co. Rd. 42 interchanges.
Hwy 55 and Hwy 52 daily volumes for all types of vehicles
Traffic volumes for Hwy 55/Co. Rd. 42 are as follows:
Left turn Co.Rd. 42 to Hwy 55 (A): 570 vehicles daily
Right turn Co. Rd. 42 to Hwy 55 (B): 1,800 vehicles daily
Right turn Hwy 55 to C. Rd. 42 (C): 150 vehicles daily
Left turn Hwy 55 to Co.Rd. 42 (D): 1,700 vehicles daily
Heavy Truck Traffic Volumes
All the roadways in the study have a high truck percentage ranging from 4-31% with more than 3,000 daily trucks using Hwy 52, more than 550 daily trucks using Hwy 55, and more than 200 daily trucks using Co.Rd. 42.
Heavy vehicles are:
Slower to accelerate and stop.
Slower to react to hazards in roadway.
More difficult to merge onto a high-speed corridor, especially without acceleration lanes.
Contributing to slowdowns, impacting travel times for other roadway users.
Seasonal Traffic:
Daily traffic increased from 25,000 during winter months to 40,000 during summer months.
Traffic Destinations:
On Hwy 52, the majority of trips are long-distance with Rochester, Minneapolis-Stain Paul, or beyond as destinations.
Crash data was collected within the study area from 2018-2022
Highest study area crash types:
35% single vehicle run off road
27% rear end crashes
14% sideswipe same direction
12% right angle
Fatal crash:
A rear end crash on Hwy 55, west of Doyle Path, involved a heavy vehicle and inclement weather.
Speed:
Hwy 55 within the study area shows a large speed distribution with non-peak traffic going 5-8 MPH over the speed limit and peak traffic being 5-10 MPH under the speed limit on average due to congestion.
The number of intersections, public driveways, and private driveways along the study roadways are:
