About
Alternatives
4-lane
This option prioritizes maintaining two lanes of traffic in each direction. East of town, there would be room for additional turn lanes and also for a center median, which would help control traffic speeds. In town however, space becomes much more constricted. The design is able to allow for a small pedestrian island along the school by widening curbs.
![Click for full corridor rendering Picture of what a four lane layout would look like](/d2/projects/studies/hwy2-fosston/images/4-lane-overview-web.jpg)
Example of 4-lane layout
3-Lane
3 lane option reduces the number of lanes and leverages the additional space to maximize pedestrian safety, focus on traffic calming, provide center turn to reduce traffic friction, and buffer parking areas. It also increases the distance between traffic lanes and the sidewalks, improving the buffer for pedestrians and also creating more snow storage in winter months for maintenance staff.
![Click for full corridor rendering Picture of what a three lane layout would look like](/d2/projects/studies/hwy2-fosston/images/3-lane-overview-web.jpg)
Example of 3-lane layout
Animations
The following animations depict how traffic would flow on the two alternatives using the traffic levels in Fosston. They do not reflect a final design, they are used to add perspective on how the traffic would flow in each of the alternatives.
![Click to play animation Clicking image plays an animation of the three lane corridor](/d2/projects/studies/hwy2-fosston/images/3-lane-animation.jpg)
![Click to play animation Clicking image plays an animation of the four lane corridor](/d2/projects/studies/hwy2-fosston/images/4-lane-animation.jpg)
Need for project
![Turning options on Hwy 2 at Granum Ave Turning options on the five-way intersection at Granum Ave and Highway 2](/d2/projects/studies/hwy2-fosston/images/granum-ave-clip.jpg)
- The corridor serves between 4,000 and 6,000 vehicles per day depending on season. It has a higher than expected crash rate than similar state highways.
- The City is successfully becoming more pedestrian friendly with the number of pedestrians and activity on sidewalks increasing each year, although Highway 2 can be seen as a barrier to that growth
- Along with residential, business and commuter traffic in Fosston, Hwy 2 also carries:
- Truck traffic
- Seasonal farming equipment
- School buses
- The intersection of Granum Ave is a 5-way intersection that includes a sharp intersecting angle
Additional considerations
Among the alternatives under consideration is the 5-way intersection at Granum Avenue. The current design has many different turning options, which can create confusion for motorists and increases the opportunity for crashes.
Request a copy of the all of the alternatives under consideration
![Click to enlarge Picture showing how one option is to square up First Street to Highway 2](/d2/projects/studies/hwy2-fosston/images/granum-option-1-clip.jpg)
![Click to enlarge Picture showing how another option is to square up both First Street and Granum Avenue's to Highway 2](/d2/projects/studies/hwy2-fosston/images/granum-option-2-clip.jpg)