Abby Nadeau
Staff Writer

Through roundabouts or signal lighted intersections, through a widened bridge or a new overpass, no matter how they do it, something has to be done about the traffic issues in Forest Lake.

The city of Forest Lake, along with Washington County, believe they have found the answer to the problems in seven roundabouts.

In the final installment of Q & A with Washington Countyís West Broadway Reconstruction Project Manager Mike Rogers, weíve asked him to answer questions and predict the future.

No one knows if the roundabouts will be a success or a failure, part of that outcome may even depend on the drivers themselves.

Written below are the final questions asked. The questions are in no particular order.

Area residents who have their own questions about the West Broadway Reconstruction Project are encouraged to contact Washington Countyís Project Manager Mike Rogers at 651-430-4338 or through e-mail at Michael.Rogers@co.washington.mn.us.

2. At what speeds can a driver expect to move through a roundabout?

The circular roadway of the roundabout is designed for drivers to travel between 15 and 20 mph. Going faster than this will give you an uneasy feeling where you are being pulled to the outside of the curve like when you take a corner too fast on a country road.

3. Is there any place for a car to pull over in a roundabout if needed?

Multi-lane roundabouts do have the ability to have a car stopped in them, though it is always a better idea to get out of the roundabout and then have the car pulled over. Just like a traditional intersection where stopping in the middle of the intersection isnít a good idea, drivers should exit the roundabout before pulling over to stop.

4. How will the roundabouts affect the travelers going north?

As it is today, people avoid Forest Lake because of the congestion and travel further north where there is less congestion to get food or gas. This project will reduce congestion and improve safety thereby making a stop at Forest Lake an attractive opportunity.

5. How wide is the roundabout?

Roundabouts vary in size depending on the number of lanes and what vehicles need to travel through them.

Along West Broadway, the roundabouts in the interchange area and at US-61 are designed for a semi with a 53í trailer.

At 4th Street and 7th Street the roundabouts are designed for a semi with a 48í trailer. In these cases a semi with a 53í trailer can still make it through the roundabout, it just will straddle the two lanes.

This is similar to an intersection with a double left turn lane where in many cases semis will straddle the lanes to complete their turns.

6. How does a semi fit through a roundabout?

A semi will have the cab stay in its lane while the trailer will track over the truck apron on the inside of the circle, or track slightly into the other lane. This is the same situation that happens at double left turn lanes at traffic signals now.

A. Will it take up two lanes?

The larger semis may, however, most semis will be able to stay in their lane while driving through the roundabout.

B. What should a driver do if a semi is going through the roundabout?

The driver should treat the intersection like they are at a signalized double left turn lane.

Just like at a double left turn lane, you donít want to be next to the truck as it is making its turn. The same applies to a roundabout, let the semi get slightly ahead of you before entering.

This way you can see how the semi driver will travel through the roundabout.

7. How will snow plows move through the roundabout?

Snow will be plowed out of the roundabout in the safest and most efficient manner for the particular snowfall. Generally, snow will be plowed similar to a traditional intersection where itís moved to the outside and piled on the boulevard or behind the curb.

8. What happens if the roundabouts are not successful?

The modern roundabouts are part of a larger project on West Broadway that will accommodate traffic well into the future.
The County and its partners would not be proposing a project that did not address the safety and capacity issues along West Broadway both now and into the future.

Part of the planning for the improvements to West Broadway included the forecasting of traffic volumes to 2028.

Traffic modeling showed that the roundabout alternative was able to handle these volumes better than the signalized alternative.

This is true even at the interchange were the existing bridge will be re-stripped to have two through lanes in each direction. This option provides the same capacity as an 8-lane bridge because the 8-lane bridge has two through lanes and two left turn lanes in each direction.

The left turn lanes are only there to store traffic while it waits for a green light. In roundabouts nobody waits for a green light so turn lanes arenít needed.

9. How long are the roundabouts expected to last and serve the Forest Lake area?

All new roadways are designed for a 20 year life cycle. Modern Roundabouts are no exception and they will be constructed to manage traffic to 2028 and beyond.

A. What happens when that time is up?

Road designs donít reach a specific date when they suddenly donít work. Like Broadway today, problems begin to surface and become worse over time to the point where new designs and new technologies are needed to manage the traffic. The current modern roundabout designs could be modified in the future to handle additional traffic.

B. What would come after a roundabout?

The modern roundabouts are being built for the long haul.

They will handle traffic on West Broadway, however, that isnít to say that other transportation improvements arenít needed in Forest Lake.

Improvements to other roadways, an additional overpass of I-35, improvements to TH-97, and public transit are all necessary to maintain residentís mobility.

Washington County is committed to working with the City and other entities to make these necessary improvements a reality.

10. How does the possible 11th Ave. Overpass project fit into the roundabout scenario?

It will reduce traffic at the interchange by 10,000 vehicles per day in 2028.

This reduction would allow any option, including roundabouts to function better than they would without an overpass.

A. Would it be used to help alleviate traffic on W. Broadway?

The traffic study done for the 11th Avenue overpass showed a reduction of 10,000 trips from West Broadway at the interchange. However, the volume of traffic along West Broadway between 12th Street and US-61 remained the same.

The benefit of the overpass is that it allows people to cross the freeway without having to deal with traffic that wants to access the freeway. The balance of the West Broadway Corridorís traffic does not change because of the businesses located along it.
West Broadway is the only access to many of these and since they are drawing the traffic, the traffic will be on West Broadway.

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Forest Lake Times
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880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
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