Traffic control changes coming to Hwy 14 Eagle Lake intersection

Hwy 14 motorists will notice a change in traffic control on the east side of Eagle Lake. Starting later next week, eastbound and westbound Hwy 14 traffic turning left onto Blue Earth County Road 17 will need to stop completely before making a left turn.

The change from the existing yield signs to a stop condition for the left turn movements from Hwy 14 is in response to a pattern of crashes between left turning Highway 14 motorists and oncoming Highway 14 traffic. Requiring Hwy 14 left-turning traffic to stop completely before turning will help motorists confirm that oncoming traffic has cleared before turning left.

To draw attention to the changed condition, and to reiterate the need to stop completely before proceeding with a left turn, LED-enhanced stop signs will be installed. When weather conditions allow later this year, stop bar markings will also be painted on the roadway surface to provide further notice of the need to stop.

Despite the pattern of left-turning crashes, both the frequency and severity of crashes at the intersection have decreased significantly since the 2016 construction of a Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) at the intersection. A 2021 evaluation of the safety performance of RCUT intersections constructed across Minnesota revealed a 69% reduction in total fatal and serious injury crashes, a 70% decrease in angle (T-Bone) crashes, and a 100% decrease in fatal and serious injury angle crashes.

For more information on the RCUT intersection treatment, visit  mndot.gov/roadwork/rci.