All-lane stop sign test will be conducted in Champlin this week to enhance road safety

About twice a year, police and first responders are called to the intersection of French Lake Road and Brookside Trail in Champlin due to a motor vehicle accident. It was a model.

“We saw a trend related to speed,” said Carla Stueve, highway engineer with the Hennepin County Department of Transportation.

Sharp curves at the intersection where French Lake Road – also known as County Road 121 – turns southeast and becomes Elm Creek Crossing also increase the risk of accidents and make it difficult for residents of nearby subdivisions to get out of their neighborhood safely, Stueve said. .

To proactively prevent future crashes and slow down drivers, Hennepin County will convert the intersection to a four-way stop this week. The county will also redesign French Lake Road at the intersection so that it has only two lanes, a left turn lane and another lane that will be shared by through traffic and right-turning motorists.

The county will also install stop signs in all directions and make lane changes on County Road 121 and S. Creek Circle. Although fewer accidents have occurred there, the intersection shares many features present in Brookside and is nearby. So the county decided to install stop signs there, too, Stueve said.

Electronic message boards announcing the changes in pilot and traffic control will also be posted this week, Stueve said. About 6,600 motorists travel each day on County Road 121, which is named Hayden Lake Road at the east end of the test area.

Champlin officials, concerned about accidents in Brookside, partnered with the county to try to address safety concerns. The agencies proposed the stop sign pilot project as a short-term solution.

“We hope to reduce accidents at this intersection,” said Heather Nelson, Champlin city engineer. “We hope its installation will make it easier to maneuver through the intersection.”

The city and county will review safety data and public comments on the pilot project that can be submitted online. Law enforcement and emergency services will be consulted to determine next steps. If the overall results are positive, the stop signs will remain in place until future traffic control changes are made, Stueve said.

And it could be as early as next summer. Champlin wants to build a roundabout at County 121 and Brookside in 2025 and plans to hold a public engagement session on the project in June.

“We’re excited to make improvements,” Nelson said.

It’s bike to work week

The League of American Bicyclists has declared this National Bike to Work Week, and Move Minneapolis, Hennepin County and the Minneapolis Department of Public Works are celebrating with a 2-mile group ride from the Sabo Bridge via the Midtown Greenway to downtown Minneapolis Commons. Park at 8:15 a.m. Thursday. Rides also depart from the Walker Art Center and 18th and Central Avenues NE.

This will be followed at 9 a.m. by a celebration including information on safe cycling routes and infrastructure, free tune-ups and safety checks, e-scooter and e-bike demonstrations, and speakers in front of the US Bank Stadium.

Anoka County is offering prizes to those who register and bike to work at least once Monday through Friday, as well as a registration event from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at Anoka Regional Park. Coon Rapids Dam, 9750 NW. Boulevard Aigrette.