MnDOT Closing Highway 65 Median Crossovers

The Minnesota Department of Transportation announced plans Thursday to close median crossings at two intersections on Highway 65 in Fridley.

Motorists will no longer be able to make left turns at these crossings:

• Highway 65 and Fireside Drive NE
• Highway 65 and 68th Avenue NE

"The crossovers are closing in an effort to improve safety at both intersections," MnDOT said in a statement, which also announced an April 9 open house about Fridley-area road projects (see below).

Once MnDOT closes the median crossings—in late April or early May, depending on the weather—only right turns will be possible. (Click on PDF thumbnail to see diagram.)

Safety Concerns
The announcement came three days before the one-year of the March 31, 2012 crash at the Fireside Drive intersection that took the life of Fridley firefighter Scott Allard after a van struck his motorcycle. (He died April 10, 2012 from his injuries.)

Residents have expressed concerns about the safety of the Fireside Drive intersection, the site of two serious crashes within four months last year—the crash that killed Allard as well as that did not cause significant injuries.

MnDOT Metro Distict Director of Communications TK Kramascz told Fridley Patch in July 2012 that the agency was open to the idea of closing the median crossover at Fireside Drive to cut down on crashes there. 

Instead of making left turns onto or from Fireside Drive, drivers would have to go south to 73rd Avenue NE or north to Osborne Road NE and do a U-turn instead. Often, Kramascz said, nearby residents and business owners object to closing median crossovers like the one at Fireside Drive.

Other MnDOT Work
MnDOT's statement included details of other nearby projects:

The closings are in advance of a Highway 65 resurfacing project scheduled for 2014. The project will include complete resurfacing of the roadway between 53rd Avenue N.E. in Fridley and County Road 10 in Spring Lake Park.

In addition, the 2014 project will include pedestrian and bus stop safety enhancements, drainage and guardrail replacements and upgrades.

Improvements to the Spring Lake Park High School pedestrian bridge, which spans Highway 65 at 80th Avenue N.E. will take place in May 2013.

April 9 Open House
MnDOT invited people who live or work in the area to learn more about the  scheduled improvements at an open house on April 9, 2013, 4:30–6:30 p.m., at the Fridley Community Center.

Staff from MnDOT and the City of Fridley will talk about road projects set for this year and next year, and will have project layouts and other information on display.

Related:

• MnDOT project web site