Improvements project moved to spring 2020

Hennepin County’s intersection work at Shoreline Drive (County Road 15) and Shadywood Road (County Road 19) in Orono is now anticipated to begin in spring 2020. The project was originally planned to begin this summer.

There will be other projects in the area next year – including county-led reconstruction and maintenance projects. We are working to coordinate these efforts to the best of our ability.

We will provide additional updates about construction timelines for the intersection work at a later date. In the meantime, we encourage you to check to see if you are subscribed to all the notification lists in the area by visiting your subscription page.

Features

The intersection will be redesigned to include:

• Pedestrian improvements, including Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramps with Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS), durable crosswalk markings and new sidewalks.
• Traffic flow improvements, including upgraded traffic signals with improved timing and reconfigured travel lanes to include dedicated left turn lanes at the intersection.
• Safety improvements, including a modified right turn lane on Shoreline Drive to discourage speeding and a curb extension on Shoreline Drive at Kelly Avenue to clearly indicate through and turn lanes.
• Roadway improvements, including replacing deteriorating curbs and gutters, underground utility lines and pavement substructure.

Project features (PDF)

Staging

The project will be completed in seven stages (segments), and the length of each stage will vary depending on the work being completed.

Project staging (PDF)

Maintaining access

Access will be maintained throughout construction for through traffic and to local businesses during construction. However, due to the nature of the work, there will be times where flagging operations will occur to guide traffic through the intersection. There will also be turning restrictions at the intersection during each stage of construction

Project background

Based on traffic safety studies conducted by Hennepin County and MnDOT, a need was found to redesign the Shoreline Drive and Shadywood Road intersection to improve traffic safety.

The new intersection will improve safety and traffic flow, which will help enhance the livability and quality of life for people who reside, work and travel through this area.