Get ready to hit the brakes and plan your detours – road construction season is taking over Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has rolled out plans for nearly 180 road and bridge projects throughout the state. If you think it stops there, think again, because another 51 projects will meddle with airports, water ports, even railroad crossings, and transit infrastructure.
Curious about what this means for your summer travel plans? Raphael Stern, a researcher from the University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies and a professor in the College of Science and Engineering, shed some light on the situation in an interview with the University's news service. Drivers may feel the weight of their commutes, as Stern cited "several high-profile projects in the Twin Cities and Duluth" that will make this season particularly noticeable, according to the University's statement.
It's not just about the number of projects, either. Project lengths can be as brief as a weekend or stretch across seasons, dipping into the next calendar year. Stern points out that "multi-year projects are very complex" and require intricate coordination between utility companies and state and local officials. This effort to minimize disruption might actually prolong your detour routines over several seasons, driving the point home that some roads seem to be in a perennial state of construction.
While MnDOT is gearing up to disrupt your GPS with 'roadwork ahead' alerts, the University of Minnesota isn't sitting idle. Stern's own work focuses on slicing through our traffic headaches with improved signal timing and updated ramp metering controls, aiming to fine-tune our daily drives to efficiency. It's not just about getting you to your destination faster – it's also a safety play, given the perils that sprout up in construction zones. Stern advises drivers, "The most important thing to do when driving in a construction zone is to slow down," especially since unexpected traffic jams can lead to dangerous conditions, as per the University of Minnesota News.
For those gearing up for the seasonal commute challenge, Stern provides a tip: stick to your lane until it's time to merge to help reduce the overall queue length by utilizing all lanes of traffic until the road closure. Adopting this strategy not only helps keep the traffic flowing but also adds a layer of safety for everyone on the road.
With such extensive projects underway, it's clear that Minnesota's drivers will need to pack a little patience alongside their road maps this summer. But with contributions from academics like Stern and MnDOT's behind-the-scenes work, the drive towards a better transportation system continues, one detour at a time.
