It’s likely that any St. Michael resident who regularly travels through it downtown has been waiting for news of an improvement to St. Michael’s busy one-way pair intersections for years, and we now know that project will come to fruition in 2022. Wright County has received federal funding to reconstruct CSAH 19 (Main St.) in the area that encompasses these one-way pairs, from Ash St. to Chestnut St., and the city is seeking resident feedback via a virtual open house on two different plans to improve safety, increase capacity and pave the way for more economic growth along this busy stretch of roadway.
The city said this current configuration has been in place since 2008 as an interim solution until funding, traffic, and safety necessitated improvements. Suffice to say, that time has arrived. This segment of roadway is now the highest volume 2-lane county highway in Wright County, with an average of 12,900 vehicles per day. Additionally, they said intersecting volumes on Highway 241 range between 14,000-19,000 vehicles per day.
To Roundabout, or Not to Roundabout?
The first reconstruction option is a signaled plan, with an added lane to each direction on Main St., added turn lanes for left turns, and new traffic signals at both Main St. & St. Michael parkway and Main St. & Central Ave.
The second option is a hybrid option with both a roundabout and signal. This plan also adds a northbound and southbound lane to Main St., but there would be a roundabout instead of a signaled intersection at Main St. and St. Michael Parkway. Either plan includes a new traffic signal at Main St. and Central Ave. Advantages of each option, traffic simulations, and discussion of noise impact studies are all included in the virtual open house.
The city of St. Michael would like residents to provide input on the two alternatives and share their experiences with this corridor during the virtual open house, which runs now through January 8th, 2021. Residents can provide feedback on the two alternatives and fill out a survey in the Get Involved tab. So far, more residents have expressed a preference for the signaled alternative in the comments section. Once the open house ends, the city and county will conduct further analysis and hone in on a final plan next year.