Welcome
Thank you for participating in our online engagement.
You are here today to learn about the preferred design concept for the upcoming resurfacing project and anticipated safety improvements along the 20-mile stretch of Highway 11 between Roseau and Warroad.
Did you
KNOW?
Highway 11 matters locally and regionally because it:
Provides essential connections between communities and is a major route for commerce between the United States and Canada.
Supports a high number of daily freight trips due to its proximity to the international border crossing.
Serves 1,000-6,000 vehicles per day in rural areas and as many as 9,000 vehicles per day in the cities of Roseau and Warroad.
Connects people to commercial, manufacturing, residential and recreational areas.
Project Overview
The Minnesota Department of Transportation is designing a resurfacing project with additional safety improvements along the 20-mile stretch of Highway 11 between Roseau and Warroad. Construction is anticipated to occur in 2024.
Highway 11 corridor study
In 2016, MnDOT and local partners conducted an in-depth study of the 60-mile stretch of Highway 11 through the communities of Greenbush, Badger, Roseau, Warroad and Roosevelt.
This 2016 Highway 11 corridor study identified strategic improvements that could be made over the next 20 years to make travel safer, more convenient and more reliable on Highway 11.
The Highway 11 Safety Improvements Project will seek further input from the surrounding communities and construct some of the quality and safety improvements from the 2016 assessment.
Roseau Area Improvements Overview
The focus of area improvements is to replace the existing tight curvature in the road with an option that is safer to maneuver and offers better sight lines. The current “s” curves were originally constructed to improve the angle Highway 11 crossed the railroad tracks. The rail line has since been abandoned and is now a recreational trail. The sharp curves require a reduced 45 mph advisory speed in this area, while the surrounding highway is designed for travel at 60 mph.
Possible Design Options
The following concepts were studied:
- Concept 1: Straightening Highway 11 to remove the curves does not meet airport runway clear zone requirements and would impact future airport expansion plans. This option is not viable.
- Concept 2: Realigns Highway 11 to the south of the airport, increases the driving speed to 60 mph and meets FAA and MnDOT airport runway clear zone requirements.
- Concept 3: Realigns Highway 11 further away from the airport, increases the driving speed to 60 mph and also meets FAA and MnDOT airport runway clear zone requirements.
Did you know?
Runway clear zones are located at either end of a runway. Land use is restricted in these areas to protect public safety and airport operations including aircrafts arriving and departing. Safety Zone A also has building restrictions, but there are still opportunities to safely realign the highway within this area.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Roseau Area Improvements: Recommended Design
What was eliminated?
Both the existing alignment (what’s there today) and Concept 1 (straightening of the roadway) would keep Highway 11 within the MnDOT runway clear zone, which does not satisfy the project needs related to airport safety.
Concepts 2 and 3 satisfy the MnDOT runway clear zone requirements for the highway location and improve vehicle safety by removing the existing 45 mph curves. While Concept 3 also moves Highway 11 out of the clear zone, MnDOT Aeronautics and the FAA eliminated this design option due to its cost and land acquisition impacts. Learn more about each concept.
Therefore, Concept 2 is the recommended design to move forward (shown in graphic).
Area Drainage Improvements
The existing drainage culvert east of the Highway 11/430th Avenue intersection will be replaced as part of a separate project in summer 2022.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Warroad Area Improvements: Recommended Design
In the 2016 Highway 11 Corridor Assessment, MnDOT identified safety concerns in this area related to a lack of designated turn lanes, particularly left turn lanes, as well as a high number of access points (intersecting roads and driveways) onto Highway 11. Potential Highway 11 improvements evaluated just west of Warroad include:
- Adding a continuous center turn lane along the highway from 550th Avenue to 570th Avenue
- Adding right turn lanes where they do not exist.
- Adding potential passing lanes.
- Access consolidation.
- Reconstructing skewed intersections to improve sight lines for vehicles entering Highway 11.
The goal of these potential improvements is to make it safer and easier to turn off the highway onto local streets and driveways and to reduce vehicle conflict points where feasible.
Recommended Design
- The recommended design through the "ridge" area will implement the improvements listed above with the exception of the passing lanes.
- Construction of the continuous center turn lane will provide refuge for left turning vehicles while allowing through traffic to continue without stopping.
- Skewed intersections at 349th Avenue, 350th Avenue and 560th Avenue will be realigned to provide a 90-degree intersection with Highway 11. This will improve sight lines for traffic turning onto Highway 11.
- 1st Lakewood Avenue will be realigned to directly line up with Pine Ridge Road on the south side of Highway 11.
Click on the images to enlarge.
Project Schedule
Click on the schedule to enlarge.