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Engineer tells Baxter council overpass could cut crashes by more than half; council accepts KLJ executive summary
Summary
The Baxter City Council accepted an independent KLJ executive summary on the Highway 371/210 overpass, where project engineer Joe Debor said a button‑hook interchange could reduce crashes by an estimated 60–70% but will pose business access and visibility challenges that the city must address.
Joe Debor, the KLJ project engineer hired by the city, told the Baxter City Council that an interchange design for Highway 371 and County Road 210 would address a high crash rate and recurring delay but would also change local access for nearby businesses.
Debor said the study area currently carries about 29,000 vehicles on Highway 371 on an average day and recorded 163 crashes over the last three years. "This is an urgent matter," he said, adding that the proposed button‑hook interchange and associated roundabouts could reduce crashes in the study area by an estimated 60–70% compared with existing conditions.
Why it matters: The intersections at 210 and Excelsier are among the highest crash‑rate locations in the state for their type, Debor said. His independent review compared about 49 initial concepts narrowed by technical screening and value engineering to a small set of finalists; among those, the button‑hook design delivered the largest projected reduction in vehicle delay (about a 67% reduction from current per‑vehicle delays) while also raising concerns about business visibility, vehicle backtracking and initial driver confusion.
Debor summarized six main evaluation topics in his report: regional and local travel times, safety benefits, business impacts, area‑of‑effect operations, alternative selection, and near‑term considerations for local intersections. He said recreational peaks — Friday afternoons and other high‑travel periods — generate much larger directional volumes and that the interchange option performs best at the highest peak volumes.
On business impacts, Debor said the elevated roadway will reduce sightlines to some businesses and that changes to the city sign ordinance may be necessary to allow larger or higher signs in the corridor. He recommended using state wayside destination signs and unambiguous advance wayfinding to limit backtracking and preserve pass‑by trips. "Signage is a key component if this project keeps moving forward," he said.
Council members asked about funding, the impact of a $58 million grant previously discussed, and which costs would fall to the city. City staff and Debor told the council that MDOT would be responsible for the core construction costs under the current project structure, while local enhancements (landscaping, decorative lighting) and off‑project local roadway improvements would be the city's responsibility if pursued.
After questions and discussion about speeds, lane geometry and near‑term improvements needed at Clearwater and Viter roads, a councilmember moved to accept KLJ's executive summary. The council approved the motion by voice vote.
What’s next: Staff told the council there is a statutory deadline for municipal consent and that the council will place a municipal‑consent decision on its Jan. 20 meeting agenda. The executive summary accepted tonight will be part of the council’s materials when it weighs consent and potential local commitments.
