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Highway 3 corridor study shows tradeoffs between capacity and community impacts; roundabouts favored at key intersections
Summary
KLJ and MnDOT presented a 12.5‑mile Highway 3 corridor study that found concentrated crash problems at three Eagan signalized intersections and presented several cross‑section options. Public feedback favored keeping narrower cross sections and adding roundabouts at Diffley, Cliff and other intersections; major 4‑lane expansion options carry multi‑million‑dollar costs and require state or federal funding.
KLJ, working with MnDOT and partner jurisdictions, reviewed traffic forecasts, crash history, environmental constraints and public input for a 12.5‑mile Highway 3 corridor that runs through Rosemount, Eagan and Inver Grove Heights.
Joe Devore of KLJ (introduced by city staff) summarized community engagement — three open houses with roughly 120 attendees each and online input — and presented draft corridor settings for Eagan‑adjacent segments. For the Eagan segment (roughly Connemara Trail to Highway 149) the team modeled four cross‑section options: a 2‑lane with right‑turn lanes, a 3‑lane with right‑turn lanes, a 3‑lane plus an added southbound lane, and a full 4‑lane divided highway. Devore said the public tended to oppose the full 4‑lane divided option because of greater impacts on access, wetlands and higher costs despite the capacity gains.
The study identified three signalized intersections in Eagan with disproportionately high crash counts — Red Pine Lane, Cliff Road and Diffley Road — and prioritized intersection improvements there. The team showed multimodal connectivity considerations, including Veterans Memorial Trail and Greenway Ring Route crossings, and recommended roundabouts at several intersections (Diffley, Cliff, Bon Air Path, Connemara) where public support was notable.
Modeling to 2050 indicates that, under a 4‑lane build scenario, certain segments could see average daily traffic (ADT) rise from current ranges (about 13,000–16,000) to roughly 25,000 in the highest demand scenario. The team described countermeasures such as dynamic curve signage and friction surface treatments for high‑crash curve segments and quantified some benefits: for example, a flashing yellow arrow treatment at Red Pine Lane is expected to substantially reduce left‑turn delay and is projected to reduce certain crash types by an estimated ~67% at that intersection.
Project cost estimates varied by concept: a railroad bridge replacement was priced at roughly $10 million in the team’s scenarios, a major Highway‑149 realignment was estimated in the $25–30 million range, and a full 4‑lane expansion for a core segment was estimated at approximately $55–60 million in 2026 dollars. The team advised exploring federal (e.g., BUILD) and state funding opportunities and regional solicitations for larger projects.
Council members asked about roundabout operations near rail crossings; KLJ described overhead blank‑out signage and gating strategies to keep roundabouts clear during train crossings. Staff and consultants said the corridor implementation plan will be finalized with additional council feedback and will be returned for council consideration in the coming weeks.
What’s next: staff will finalize the implementation plan and return to the council to incorporate feedback and clarify funding strategies and phasing.
