DEPARTMENT: Transportation
FILE TYPE: Regular Information
TITLE
title
Information On Top Ten Ranked Critical County Intersections And Corresponding Mitigations
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Provide an update to County Leadership regarding review of the County’s highest-ranked intersections in relation to crashes as well as provide information on corresponding mitigations and studies.
SUMMARY
Every year, Dakota County Traffic staff reviews and logs crashes that occurred on the County transportation system from the prior year in a process called the Intersection Crash Listing (ICL). A Crash Rate Index (CRI) is determined for each intersection by combining crash data from two years prior and calculated by weighting the three-year crashes against traffic volumes and crash comparisons to similar intersections across the state. CRI is an adequate indication of whether an intersection has statistically significant safety concerns.
County staff ranks all intersections by their CRI to help determine where safety improvements can be made or to evaluate what may be causing the crashes. Below are the 2024 highest-ranked CRI intersections on the County network and the corresponding mitigations and evaluations, both planned and in process. Since the ICL utilizes the past three years of crash data, sometimes there are occurrences where an ICL ranking exists after the mitigation has taken place.
Intersection Crash Listing Ranking Based off Crash Rate Index
|
Intersection |
Mitigation/Evaluation |
|
CSAH 50 and CSAH 60 |
Roundabout Crash Study and Evaluation (2024-2025) |
|
CSAH 46 and CSAH 85 |
Roundabout Installed (2024) |
|
CSAH 33 and December Trail |
Sightline and Speed Evaluation (Current) - Initially thought to be construction detour-related |
|
CSAH 50 and Hamburg Avenue |
Roundabout Installation (2025) |
|
CSAH 42 and Biscayne Avenue |
Temporary Closures (2025) and Signal Installation (2027) |
|
CSAH 8 and Livingston Avenue |
Sightline and Speed Evaluation (Current) - Initially thought to be construction-related |
|
CSAH 46 and TH 52 E Ramp |
Roundabout Installation (2028) |
|
CSAH 31 and Upper 147th Street |
Three-quarter Access Intersection Conversion (2026) |
|
CR 6 and CSAH 73 |
Roundabout Installed (2023) |
|
CSAH 38 and Irving Avenue |
Undergoing Study for Improvements (Current) |
Additionally, the County also conducts an ICL for high-severity crashes. These weigh fatal and serious injury crashes higher in an attempt to illustrate where the most dangerous intersections are as opposed to where the most crashes are occurring. As such, many of these tend to be in high-speed rural areas and may involve more run-off roads or crashes involving deer. From the below-noted intersections, one fatality has occurred across all noted intersections in the past three years (CR 86 and TH 3 in 2022).
The below intersections denote the ten highest-ranked intersections when weighted with crash severity and their corresponding mitigations and evaluations.
ICL Ranking Based off Severity
|
IntersectionMitigation/Evaluation |
|
|
CSAH 78 and TH 3 |
Roundabout Installation (MnDOT led) (2029 or earlier) |
|
CSAH 86 and TH 3 |
Roundabout Installation (2026) |
|
CSAH 47 and CR 78 |
Skewed Intersection Improvement Installed (2022) |
|
CSAH 86 and TH 56 |
Roundabout Installation (MnDOT Intersection) (2026) |
|
CSAH 54 and CSAH 68 |
Roundabout Installation (2028) |
|
CSAH 50 and 3rd Street |
Signalized Pedestrian Improvements (2025) |
|
CSAH 47 and CSAH 86 |
Signage Updated (2021) and Intersection Improvements (2027) |
|
CSAH 31 and 179th Street |
Signal Timing Changes Implemented (2024) |
|
CSAH 46 and CSAH 85 |
Roundabout Installed (2024) |
|
CSAH 32 and Blackhawk |
Signal Timing / FYA evaluation (2025) |
Dakota County Traffic staff continues to monitor these safety issues, evaluates worthwhile improvements, and determines all potential causes that may relate to these locations. In addition, intersections that do not make the top 10 but experience metrics that suggest a safety issue or a sharp increase in crashes still receive mitigation and evaluation. While the ICL mitigation process is reactive to historical crash data, Dakota County proactively utilizes safe design and operation principles in engineering processes to minimize crashes in the future.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Information only; no action requested.
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EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
None
☒ None ☐ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
body
Information only; no action requested.
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PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
None
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Crash Locations by Top Ranked CRI
Attachment: Crash Locations by Top Ranked Severity
Attachment: Presentation Slides
BOARD GOALS
☐ Thriving People ☐ A Healthy Environment with Quality Natural Resources
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☒ Excellence in Public Service
CONTACT
Department Head: Erin Laberee
Author: Tyler Krage