One thing is for sure:  big changes are coming for London Road-Highway 61 in Duluth.   And the results of a recent survey done by the Minnesota Department of Transportation helped the state agency identify what those changes will look like, and what drivers would like them to be.

Earlier this summer, MNDOT solicited the comments from the public about their concerns about traffic along London Road, between 26th Avenue East and 60th Avenue East.  More than 2,200 people submitted their commentary - demonstrating a fairly active and engaged community.

Ahead of further planning and a series of public meetings, MNDOT has shared a "summary of the results" on the project website. Here are the "most noted concerns":

  • Vehicles move too fast and do not obey speed limits
  • Vehicles move too slow, which is insufficient to traffic flow
  • Pedestrian crossings are "very difficult and unsafe"
  • Drainage problems exist in the southbound right-hand lane west of 40th Avenue Easy
  • Speeding vehicles - northbound from 26th Avenue East at the merge
  • Traffic delays and concerns - due to the lack of northbound left turn lanes from 40th Avenue East to 60th Avenue East
  • Vehicles are using the parking lanes to pass
  • It's difficult for vehicles turning left onto London Road and the pedestrian crossing at 60th Avenue East is unsafe
  • Traffic backups at 40th Avenue East traffic signal
  • It's difficult for vehicles turning left out of the Chateau Apartments and from Glensheen
  • There is a difficulty for vehicles turning left from 32nd Avenue East and 36th Avenue East
  • Vehicles are parking too close to intersections, which obstructs view - creating safety concerns

The survey also fielded a variety of other useful data for the Minnesota Department of Transportation.  A number of objective questions were asked to solicit responses about things like how "safe" respondents felt driving, biking, or walking through the corridor, demographic information (i.e. resident, business owner, visitor), how drivers used the London Road corridor (i.e. live nearby, work nearby, school access, passing through to get to the North Shore), and other details.

In addition, MNDOT asked survey respondents to identify which intersections needed improvement.  Those who filled out the survey were able to "select all that apply", so the numbers outpace the total number of surveys completed.  Here are the top five intersections that were identified as "needing improvement":

  • 60th Avenue East:  522
  • 40th Avenue East:  400
  • 36th Avenue East:  366
  • 43rd Avenue East:  366
  • 32nd Avenue East: 306

As part of the presentation of the survey results, the Minnesota Department of Transportation has scheduled two upcoming public meetings. One will be held in-person, the other virtually.  Here are the details:

  • Tuesday, October 11:  5:30 PM at Glensheen Mansion in the Winter Garden Room.
  • Wednesday, October 12:  5:30 PM - this will be a virtual session. If you want to attend, click here to follow the link to the meeting from MNDOT's project page.

Obviously the design (and eventual work) for the London Road Corridor project is only beginning.  The Minnesota Department of Transportation has set up an online project page on their website with more information about the $8.3 million project that's set for construction in 2025.

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