Highway 169

Project complete

About this project

Crews made safety improvements to Hwy 169 from Hwy 25 in Belle Plaine to Hwy 19 in Blakeley Township. The project modified certain intersections and installed a cable median barrier to improve the safety of the road.

Summary of work

• Installed cable median barrier in center median to help prevent the most serious and fatal head-on crossover crashes, reducing crossover head-on crashes by up to 95%
• Removal of redundant center medians
• Drainage improvements
• Constructed J-turns (Reduced Conflict Intersections) and center medians to help prevent high-risk crossing movements and left turns onto Hwy 169 from a local road or driveway. J-turns reduce serious and fatal crashes by 70% and overall crashes by 42%
• Signs, lights, and drainage outlets provide 35 feet of clearance for the turning of wide vehicles at all intersections. Right turn lanes were extended in length when possible to accommodate larger vehicles.
• Belle Plaine Trail J-turn
  • J-turn to NB Hwy 169:
    • 6-foot gravel shoulder for wide vehicles
  • Left turn directly onto Belle Plaine Trail
  • Storm sewer
  • J-turn to SB Hwy 169:
    • Extra-wide paved turning space for large vehicles and equipment
  • 6-foot gravel shoulder for wide vehicles
  • Storm sewer
• German Rd. intersection
• Drivers can take a right-in from Hwy 169 to German Rd.; right-out from German Rd. to Hwy 169; and a left-in from SB Hwy 169 to German Rd.
• South of German Rd. J-turn
  • J-turn to NB Hwy 169:
    • 6-foot gravel shoulder for wide vehicles
    • Extra-wide paved turning space for large vehicles and equipment
• Blakeley Trail J-turn
  • J-turn to NB Hwy 169:
    • 6-foot gravel shoulder for wide vehicles
    • Extra-wide paved turning space for large vehicles and equipment
  • J-turn to SB Hwy 169:
    • 6-foot gravel shoulder for wide vehicles
    • Extra-wide paved turning space for large vehicles and equipment
• 250th St./Raven Rd. J-turn
  • J-turn to NB Hwy 169:
    • 6-foot gravel shoulder for wide vehicles
    • Extra-wide paved turning space for large vehicles and equipment
  • J-turn to SB Hwy 169:
    • 6-foot gravel shoulder for wide vehicles
    • Extra-wide paved turning space for large vehicles and equipment
    • Storm sewer
• 263rd St. J-turn
  • J-turn to NB Hwy 169:
    • 6-foot gravel shoulder for wide vehicles
    • Extra-wide paved turning space for large vehicles and equipment
    • Storm sewer
  • J-turn to SB Hwy 169:
    • 6-foot gravel shoulder for wide vehicles
    • Left turn directly onto 263rd St.
    • Storm sewer
• Lehnert Ln./270th St. J-turn
  • J-turn to NB Hwy 169:
    • 6-foot gravel shoulder for wide vehicles
    • Extra-wide paved turning space for large vehicles and equipment
  • J-turn to SB Hwy 169:
    • 6-foot gravel shoulder for wide vehicles
    • Extra-wide paved turning space for large vehicles and equipment
    • Storm sewer