Traffic studies to explore pedestrian upgrades for MSU, Le Hillier, Eagle Lake

Dec. 31—MANKATO — A "pedestrian scramble" or two on Stadium Road are among the future upgrades to be examined in 2022 by the local transportation planning organization.

Three of the four studies that will be underway in coming weeks are aimed at improving conditions for pedestrians — at Minnesota State University, in Le Hillier and in Eagle Lake. The fourth will be a more comprehensive look at traffic flow, intersection design, rail crossing improvement and more on Mankato's Third Avenue.

The Mankato-North Mankato Area Planning Organization has solicited proposals from private consulting firms to conduct the studies, which will be completed either late next year or — in the case of Third Avenue — in 2023.

The MSU study will focus on reducing conflicts between vehicles on Stadium Road and students crossing the road at Warren Street and Ellis Avenue. The road is an important thoroughfare connecting Mankato's east and west sides, but it also cuts across Minnesota's second-busiest college campus.

"It serves both the university folks and non-university traffic," said Charles Androsky, a transportation planner for MAPO.

At Ellis and, particularly, at Warren, students and staff cross Stadium in large numbers as they move to and from parking lots on the south side of the road to academic buildings on the north side. Sporting events at Taylor Center also drive pedestrian numbers sharply higher before and after games.

Among the options to be considered is the area's first "pedestrian scramble" crossing — a design that would simultaneously stop all vehicles in all directions to allow pedestrians to cross any leg of the intersection, even cutting diagonally across the intersection. The design, while uncommon in Minnesota, is used in some large cities in America and worldwide.

A report released by the Minnesota Department of Transportation in January of 2021, "Minnesota's Best Practices for Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety," stated that pedestrian scrambles are not yet a proven safety measure but can be effective when "large concentrations of pedestrians often need to cross a busy street at the same time."

"This is typically in urban areas, tourist-heavy areas, college campuses, places with major shift changes," the MnDOT report states.

The $30,000 Stadium Road study will also look at pedestrian crossings in the area between Ellis and Warren, will do counts of vehicles and pedestrians, will project future traffic and pedestrian volumes and will consider whether changes in roadway layout and turn-lane configurations might improve pedestrian and traffic flow.

One thing that won't be considered in this study is a pedestrian bridge or tunnel to move walkers and bikers from one side of Stadium to the other, a concept that's been discussed periodically over the decades.

"We'll be looking more at at-grade crossing improvements," Androsky said.

In South Bend Township, a $28,000 study will look for ways to create "a safer and more convenient pedestrian and bicyclist network" in the residential area known as Le Hillier. The study will focus on Blue Earth County Road 69 (Southbend Avenue) and County Road 33 (Hemlock Road) between Southbend and Birch avenues.

Sidewalks and bike trails will be looked at, as well as crossings, to make it safer and more pleasant to walk and bike from one part of Le Hillier to another. But the sometimes steep terrain — including streets cut into hillsides in places — could make improvements difficult, said County Public Works Director Ryan Thilges.

"We need to understand what the needs are first," Thilges said. "And then we need to look at what we can do within the limited geometry. ... There are some real challenges working with that type of topography."

In Eagle Lake, a $25,000 study will offer options for providing a pedestrian connection to the larger community from neighborhoods in the town's southeast. The disconnected residential area — which includes a manufactured home park, the new Autumn Wind Townhomes development and a new single-family subdivision — requires children and other pedestrians to use the shoulder of County Road 27 (Agency Street) to reach Eagle Lake's park, trails, elementary school and businesses.

Thilges said the study will examine the feasibility of adding trails in the limited space along Agency Street and also look at whether connections could be made along other streets as residential development continues on Eagle Lake's southern and eastern sides.

"It helps us to better understand the viable opportunities and challenges and costs," Thilges said of the study.

A larger, longer and more comprehensive study is slated for Third Avenue in Mankato from Riverfront Drive to the north side of town. A total of $80,000 has been appropriated for the corridor study, which is to be completed by July of 2023.

"That's a really challenging road because of the combination you have of heavy industry, medium commercial (uses) and then a pretty substantial amount of residential," Thilges said.

Third Avenue also has the busiest rail crossing in Mankato, one the City Council hopes to upgrade as part of its whistle-free corridor initiative to eliminate the need to sound train horns.

The study will look at pedestrian issues, potential intersection upgrades, whether the road would function better as a three-lane or four-lane, current traffic levels, projected future volumes and more. The timing is right to answer those questions because Third Avenue, with its deteriorating pavement, is slated for a major reconstruction, most likely in 2025, Thilges said.

All of the studies will be conducted by private engineering firms.

"We have a good mix of some very good consultants who submitted some compelling proposals," Androsky said.

The MAPO Policy Board, made up of elected officials from the cities, counties and townships in the planning area, is expected to select the winning consultants at its Feb. 3 meeting.