2.3 Case Study for Crossing of Shooting Star Trail … › ... › Temporary › ShootingStar-CSAH14.pdf18 2.3 Case Study for Crossing of Shooting Star Trail and CSAH 14 2.3.1 Site

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2.3 Case Study for Crossing of Shooting Star Trail and CSAH 14

2.3.1 Site Description

2.3.1.1 Overview

The trail crossing of the Shooting Star Trail and MN Mower County Highway 14 (CSAH 14) is located in the City of Le Roy, Minnesota. The trail emerges from downtown Le Roy to the Southeast, crosses CSAH 14, and then diverges to the Northwest. Located approximately 600 feet (182.9 meters) south of the crossing is the intersection of CSAH 14 and West Lowell Street. Land surrounding the crossing is primarily rural, containing a gravel mine as well as public open space; there is, however, a high school and other residential property located just south of the intersection between CSAH 14 and West Lowell Street. A site visit was conducted on April 3, 2012, from 10:10 AM to 10:25 AM. Figure 2.14 shows an aerial photo of the crossing; Figure 2.15 shows the existing lane configuration surrounding the crossing as developed from the aerial photo. Figure 2.16 shows a photo of the crossing taken during a site visit to show the environment surrounding the trail crossing.

2.3.1.2 Description of the Trail

The Shooting Star Trail is of sufficient width to accommodate bi-directional travel although there are no painted centerline markings to delineate the trail. Primary trail users, as determined by surveys, include pedestrians and bicyclists. The trail crossing with CSAH 14 is located to the Southeast of the other study site along the Shooting Star Trail (i.e., the crossing at CSAH 8).

2.3.1.3 Description of the Crossed Road

The crossed road, CSAH 14, is a two-lane, undivided highway with a speed limit of 55 miles per hour (88.5 kilometers per hour). That being said, the speed limit drops to 30 miles per hour (48.3 kilometers per hour) just prior to the crossing in both the northern and southern directions. There is no noticeable horizontal or vertical curvature in close proximity to the crossing.

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Figure 2.14: Crossing of Shooting Star Trail and CSAH 14 (Aerial Photo)

Source: Google Earth V 7.0.3.8542. (August 11, 2011). Shooting Star Trail at CSAH 14, Le Roy, MN. 43°30'57.38"N, 92°30'32.21"W, Eye alt 1871 feet. USDA Farm Service Agency. http://www.google.com/earth/index.html (Accessed 20 May, 2013).

Figure 2.15: Existing Lane Configuration of the Study Trail Crossing

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Figure 2.16: Crossing of Shooting Star Trail and CSAH 14 (Field Photo)

2.3.1.4 Existing Traffic Control

Traffic control devices along the trail near the crossing location include STOP (R1-1) signs, painted stop lines, and Stop Ahead (W3-1) signs. There are also two NO MOTOR VEHICLES (R5-3) signs near the crossing, one mounted on both the eastern and western sides of the crossing. Along CSAH 14, motorists are alerted of the crossing via Bicycle Warning (W11-1) signs. Additionally, there are two assemblies each consisting of a Trail Crossing (W11-15a) sign with a supplemental Downward Diagonal Arrow (W16-7p) plaque and a warning light mounted on top of the sign located immediately to the North and South of the crossing. The aforementioned assembly can be seen in Figure 2.17. Finally, a painted crosswalk is present at the crossing.

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Figure 2.17: Trail Crossing Warning Sign Assembly

2.3.2 Safety Concerns

2.3.2.1 Site Observation

A site visit identified several safety concerns associated with the crossing, the majority of which were speed-related. First of all, vehicles approaching the crossing from the south were often observed to be accelerating on their way out of town as the speed limit increases to 55 miles per hour (88.5 kilometers per hour) north of the crossing. Similarly, vehicles approaching the crossing from the north were expected to reduce their speed from 55 miles per hour (88.5 kilometers per hour) to 30 miles per hour (48.3 kilometers per hour) prior to the crossing; that being said, numerous vehicles appeared to be traveling significantly over 30 miles per hour at the crossing. Although it was determined that clear sight lines are available to trail users as they approach the crossing, the trail does emerge from a wooded area on the east side of CSAH 14 which can temporarily obstruct users’ vision depending on how close they are to the roadway. Further, the trail emerges from below grade on the western approach as seen in Figure 2.18. Finally, it was observed that the paved portion of the shoulder was quite narrow which made it difficult to discern where the shoulder ended and the trail began.

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Figure 2.18: Trail Emerging from Below Grade on Western Approach

2.3.2.2 Crash Record

There was only one trail-user-related crash identified for this trail crossing. The crash occurred in the morning of a day in October, 2008. A bicycle and a passenger car were involved in the crash and it resulted in a possible injury.

2.3.2.3 Identified Safety Concerns

The major safety issues identified through field inspection were associated with drivers’ speeds while traveling through the area. Drivers headed north towards the crossing must travel over a bridge prior to reaching the crossing; many drivers increase their speed after crossing the bridge despite the 30 mile per hour (48.3 kilometer per hour) speed limit in effect at the crossing. Additionally, numerous cases of drivers neglecting to honor the 30 mile per hour (48.3 kilometer per hour) speed limit around the crossing raised concern about trail user and motorist safety at the crossing. This is an issue of great concern as current signage to inform motorists of the crossing is not clearly visible and discernible at a distance (as seen in Figure 2.19). Hence, motorists may not see the signage until a point at which they no longer have sufficient stopping

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sight distance needed to stop for a trail user making a crossing maneuver. In 2008, a bicyclist was reported to have been hit by an automobile in the immediate vicinity of the crossing; no fatalities occurred, although it was reported that the cyclist may have sustained a “possible injury.” Between 2002 and 2011, this was the only accident reported in the immediate vicinity of the trail crossing involving trail users (i.e., bicyclists and pedestrians). Finally, the crosswalk painted on CSAH 14 was fading and showed signs of significant ware.

Figure 2.19: Trail Crossing Signs in the Distance from Perspective of Driver Travelling

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2.3.3 Recommendations for Improvement

2.3.3.1 Goal of Improvement

The primary goal of the improvement here is to enhance the conspicuity of the trail crossing to approaching motorists on CSAH 14. This is essential as current advance warning signage and the reduced speed limit around the crossing have found to be unsuccessful in actually reducing the speed of motorists traveling over the crossing in many instances.