Frequently Asked Questions
Why don’t you lower the speed limit? Drivers tend to choose their speeds based on the characteristics of the road and less so by speed limit signs. The presence of enforcement also plays a role in drivers’ speeds. This project will change the character of the road by introducing roundabouts, pedestrian refuge islands, bicycle lanes and reducing the existing shoulder width along the length of the corridor. Once the project is complete, MnDOT will conduct a speed study to determine how the project has influenced speeds and what the posted speed limit should be throughout the corridor.
How does the 2025 sewer project impact London Road? This summer, Western Lake Superior Sanitary District (WLSSD) has a project to rehabilitate the sanitary sewer line along London Road from just west of 40th Avenue East to 26th Avenue East. There will be minimal traffic disruption. More information on the project.
How does the 2025 water service impact London Road? This summer, the City of Duluth has a project to replace about 40 residential water services along London Road. There will be some parking and lane closures for this work. More information on the project.
How many boulevard trees are you clearing and will they be replaced? About 30 trees were removed in the last several years due to emerald ash borer disease. With the construction project, approximately 85 percent of the boulevard trees will also be removed for various reasons including poor health, sightlines and construction impacts. Once construction is complete, trees will be replaced, though not all will be in exact locations to keep sightlines clear at intersections.
Why is vegetation clearing needed between the sidewalk and homeowners’ property? Clearing of trees, shrubs, perennial gardens, etc. will be needed to facilitate construction of the sidewalk and to provide an unobstructed access along the sidewalk for pedestrians.
Why are you replacing the signal lights with roundabouts at 26th Avenue East and 40th Avenue East? The traffic signals at 26th Avenue East and 40th Avenue East are past the end of their lifecycle and need to be replaced. It is important to look at all alternatives when a signal has reached the end of its lifecycle due to cost and the length of time a new signal or other form of traffic control will be in place. An intersection study was done at both intersections to determine the best solution for the next 30+ years. The study looked at congestion and wait time, turning movements, traffic calming (slowing traffic down), vehicle safety, pedestrian and bike mobility and safety and right of way considerations. A roundabout was recommended for both intersections. For more information on why roundabouts were chosen.
How will I get out of my driveway without signal lights to break up flow of traffic? Roundabouts create natural gaps in traffic, even under heavy traffic, due to changes in driving speed and turning vehicles. This allows shorter but more frequent gaps in traffic, allowing for opportunities to merge or turn from driveways. Simulations of each roundabout can be found on the homepage.
How many homes were purchased for the project? Five homes were purchased at the 40th Avenue East intersection for construction of the roundabout.
What pedestrian improvements are included with the project? Marked pedestrian crosswalks and refuge islands will be installed at 32nd, 36th, 42nd, 43rd, 45th, 47th, 51st, 58th and 60th avenues east. This allows pedestrians to cross one lane of traffic, have a concrete island respite and then cross the second lane of traffic. Pedestrian activated warning flashers (Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacons) will also be installed at 32nd Avenue East and 60th Avenue East.
As a pedestrian, how I will I be able to cross London Road at a roundabout? In Minnesota, state law requires vehicles to yield to pedestrians in a marked crosswalk. There are marked crosswalks at each leg of the roundabouts, with a pedestrian refuge island between each lane of traffic. Traffic speed is the most common factor in determining whether a driver will yield to a pedestrian. Due to the roundabout geometry, vehicle speeds are much lower at a roundabout. Also, vehicles are skewed to see pedestrians waiting to cross the street. Drivers are more likely to yield to pedestrians in roundabouts.
How many parking spaces will be lost? About 45 percent of parking spaces will be removed from the 40th Avenue East to 60th Avenue East portion of the corridor to accommodate center turn lanes and pedestrian refuge islands.
Will removal of parking in some areas affect operation of school buses, garbage pickup or emergency vehicles? Where parking is being removed, there will be a 6-foot shoulder. The shoulder is available for short-term stopping for school buses, garbage trucks and emergency vehicles. This area is also available for drivers to pull over for emergency vehicles. When appropriate, there is room in the driving lane and the adjacent left turn lane for drivers to move around stopped vehicles on the shoulder.
Why are you including a bike lane since the Lakewalk is a block away on Superior Street? A roadway under MnDOT’s jurisdiction should accommodate vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian needs. In this case, the bicycle lane along London Road will accommodate cyclists as well as provide a traffic calming feature for vehicle traffic. There was significant public feedback about speeds along London Road, and the addition of bicycle lanes reinforces that London Road accommodates more than just motorists, and drivers will adjust their speeds accordingly.
Why are there detours? Superior Street will be periodically utilized as a southbound Hwy 61/London Road detour route for this project. Most work will be completed without using detours. The detour is needed for construction of the pedestrian refuge islands, storm sewer work and other construction work. The detour is not needed for construction of the roundabouts since temporary bypasses will be built to accommodate traffic.
What are the traffic numbers along the corridor? The Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) of London Road varies along the corridor. From I-35 to 40th Avenue East, the AADT is just over 17,000 vehicles a day. From 40th Avenue East to 47th Avenue East, counts are about 13,000 vehicles a day. From 47th Avenue East to 60th Avenue East, counts are just under 11,000 vehicles a day. These numbers are averages, and actual daily volumes vary seasonally and throughout the week.
How will right-of-way encroachments be handled? Though the exact amount varies, MnDOT typically owns the land from the centerline of Hwy 61/London Road to approximately 4 feet behind the existing sidewalk. A homeowner’s property line falls behind the sidewalk of each piece of property. While many people do not realize this, homeowners should not have plantings, figurines, posts or other personal items in the MnDOT right-of-way. All personal items need to be removed from the right-of-way. Shrubs and trees will be removed by MnDOT as part of the project.
What is the reason for easements? An appraiser has reached out via mail to each homeowner along the corridor to discuss temporary easements. This is for a portion of your yard MnDOT needs to access during construction of the sidewalk and any grading and/or tree and shrub clearing. MnDOT pays homeowners for items that may need to be removed in the easement and to allow construction crews to be on that portion of your yard.
Explain a cross section of the new highway design, including driving lanes, turn lanes, parking lanes, bike lanes and shoulders. Though the cross section varies, two sections will be described for this answer. See plans for more details in front of your property. For most of the road area, the existing width of London Road will remain the same at 47 feet.
- Example 1: At 43rd Avenue East (with refuge island): bikeable shoulder of 6 feet, driving lane of 11 feet, raised pedestrian refuge island of 13 ft with curb and gutter (actual raised median width of 10 ft), driving lane of 11 feet and bikeable shoulder of 6 feet.
- Example 2: At 52nd Avenue East: parking lane of 8 feet, biking lane of 5 feet, driving lane of 11 feet, driving lane of 11 feet, bike lane of 5 feet and parking lane of 8 feet.