Month: May 2021

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The Minnesota Department of Transportation has announced that beginning May 5, motorists on Highway 2 near Erskine, can expect lane shifts while crews continue construction. During the project, crews will be replacing the concrete roadway on Highway 2 eastbound lanes from Highway 32 to 1.8 miles west of Erskine as well as a portion east of Erskine near the weigh station.

Traffic changes beginning May 5:

• Traffic will be switched to head-to-head on the westbound lane utilizing a newly constructed crossover on the west limits of Erskine.
• Traffic heading west will stay in westbound lanes (single lane, head-to-head) until one mile east of the Highway 32 intersection where it will crossover into head-to-head on the eastbound lanes for three miles. Traffic will again crossover two miles west of the Highway 32 intersection back into normal, two-lane, configuration.
• Traffic heading east will encounter single lane head-to-head two miles west of the Highway 32 intersection and will crossover into head-to-head on the westbound lanes one mile east of the Highway 32 intersection. Eastbound traffic will crossover into normal, two-lane, configuration at the west limits of Erskine.

The project will also include a Reduced Conflict Intersections (RCI’s) constructed at the intersection of Highway 2 and Highway 32. Hwy 32 will be detoured during the construction of the RCI. Northbound traffic on Highway 32 will use Polk county road 49 to Polk county road 12. Southbound traffic will use Polk county road 41 to Polk CR 12. This detours are planned for late summer and will last ten days each.

Hoffman Construction is the contractor for the $22.3 million project. For more information and a project map, visit the website at www.mndot.gov/d2/projects/2021/hwy2-rci.

Important reminders for motorists regarding work zone safety:

• Slow down when approaching every work zone, then navigate through with care and caution.
• Stay alert; work zones constantly change.
• Watch for workers and slow moving equipment.
• Obey posted speed limits. Fine for a violation in a work zone is $300.
• Minimize distractions behind the wheel.
• Be patient; expect delays, especially during peak travel times.

The post CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN ON HIGHWAY 2 NEAR ERSKINE ON MAY 5 appeared first on KROX.

Most Minnesotans know that using phones behind the wheel is distracting and can lead to severe consequences on the road. But that’s not the only thing that is diverting attention away from driving.

Shaving. Putting on makeup. Fiddling with the touchscreen on your car stereo system. Even changing clothes. All of these can take your eyes off the road and ultimately cause you to crash.

With distracted driving still claiming lives and causing life-changing injuries in Minnesota, we all need a reminder about the dangers of not paying attention behind the wheel. That’s why Minnesota law enforcement agencies and traffic safety partners across the state will be participating in a two-week distracted driving extra enforcement and awareness campaign starting May 1, 2021.

The Polk County Sheriffs Department along with the Crookston and East Grand Forks Police Departments will take part in extra enforcement that runs through May 15, 2021 and is coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS-OTS).

Driving smart and focusing 100 percent of your attention on the road can help avoid tragedy for everyone sharing the road. Distracted driving contributes to an average of 31 deaths and 192 life-changing injuries a year in Minnesota (2016-2020).

“We’ve all seen the ridiculous and dangerous things drivers are doing behind the wheel. And if they are not paying 100 percent attention to driving, they are putting you and your family at risk ,” said East Grand Forks Police Chief Mike Hedlund. “The next time you start to do something else behind the wheel that isn’t driving, remember how you feel about other motorists doing the same thing. Don’ t let distracted driving wreck you. Drive smart by always paying attention behind the wheel.”

Distracted Driving is Dangerous Driving
• More than 39,000 crashes were distracted driving-related from 2016-2020, contributing to one in nine crashes in Minnesota.
• In 2020, distracted driving contributed to 2,612 injuries and 29 deaths.
• Distracted driving contributes to 11 percent of crashes in Minnesota.

Hands-Free is the Law
Hands-free cell phone use became law on Aug. 1, 2019 in Minnesota. That means drivers can no longer hold their phone in their hand. Accessing or posting on social media, streaming videos, checking that box score or Googling information on a device while driving are all still against the law in Minnesota, even in hands-free mode.

Law enforcement cited 19,778 drivers for failing to comply with the hands-free law in 2020.

Distracted Driving Consequences
• HANDS-FREE CELL PHONE LAW: The new law allows a driver to use their cell phone to make calls, text, listen to music or podcasts and get directions, but only by voice commands or single-touch activation without holding the phone. Remember, hands-free is not necessarily distraction-free.
o $100 or more including court fees for a first offense.
o $300 or more including court fees for a second and/or subsequent offense.

• If you injure or kill someone while violating the hands-free law, you can face a felony charge of criminal vehicular operation or homicide.

Drive Smart and Join Minnesotans Driving Distracted-Free
• Cell phones – Park the phone by putting it down, turning it off, placing it out of reach or going hands­ free.
• Music and other controls – Pre-program radio stations and arrange music in an easy-to-access spot. Adjust mirrors and ventilation before traveling.
• Navigation – Map out the destination and enter the GPS route in advance.
• Eating and drinking – Avoid messy foods and secure drinks.
• Children -Teach children the importance of good behavior in a vehicle and model proper driving behavior.
• Passengers – Speak up to stop drivers from distracted driving behavior and offer to help with anything that takes the driver’s attention off the road.

The post AREA LAW ENFORCEMENT TO TAKE CRACK DOWN ON DISTRACTED DRIVING appeared first on KROX.

The Crookston Township had a meeting on Monday morning to discuss the possibility of paving a half-mile portion of 240th Avenue SW as part of the reconstruction of Polk County Road 11/Fisher Avenue this summer.  240th Avenue SW connects Polk County Road 11 to the old Gentilly Road (265th Street SW) and goes by the Bible Baptist Church. 

The Crookston Township board, three township residents, and Polk County Highway Engineer Rich Sanders attended the meeting.  “Rich gave us kind of a ballpark number on what he thought it would come in to pave that half-mile of road.  He estimated it would come in between $225,000 to $300,000,” said Crookston Township Supervisor Dean Adams. “We are looking at cutting it down and adding six inches of aggregate base and five inches of asphalt.”

Adams said Sanders came to explain to the board what the process was and that the county will help them find a contractor. “We thought about getting bids on it, but he (Sanders) will call for contractors that do that kind of work and get a quote on it and go from there,” said Adams. “We will see if the quote comes in at something we can afford and pay.”

Crookston Township had worked with Sanders and Polk County when they redid the Old Gentilly Road. “Rich has been a fantastic partner with Crookston Township,” said Adams, who added the Township Board would look at quotes in the next meeting and see if it is something that they can do.  

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The post CROOKSTON TOWNSHIP LOOKING INTO PAVING HALF-MILE OF 240TH AVE SW appeared first on KROX.