Dakota County will reconstruct about 4.6 miles of County Road 88 in Randolph Township from Highway 56 to Highway 52. It is currently a two-lane, east-west roadway in Randolph Township. It serves as the primary roadway through the City of Randolph and Randolph Township and connects residential, commercial and agricultural properties to Cannon Falls.
Why work is needed
The existing road doesn't meet current design standards, having minimal paved shoulders, no turn lanes, and multiple curves with speeds below the posted speed limit. The pavement is also in need of reconstruction.
County Road 88 currently intersects Highway 56 at an angle next to a railroad crossing. Safety issues have been occurring at the intersection. An improvement is needed to address the problem. From 2010–2019, there were 20 crashes, including one fatal, two injury, and seven possible injury crashes. The overwhelming majority of crashes at the intersection are right angle crashes, which have a high potential to cause serious injuries or fatalities.
Benefits
Wider shoulders, new turn lanes and improved roadside design will enhance safety, improve traffic operations and bring the corridor up to current design standards. The new off-set T intersection of County Road 88 and Highway 56 should help lessen the crash problem at the intersection.
Impacts
- Right of way acquisitions of some residential and commercial properties.
- Detours during construction.
- No anticipated environmental effects with new infiltration ponds for storm water treatment.
Schedule
Phase 2: Finch Court west to Highway 56
Phase 2 Layout Map
Anticipated schedule
-
Right of way acquisition: Now through spring 2024
- Alternative analysis: Spring 2023
- Public open house: Summer 2023
- 30% design plans: Summer 2023
- 60% design plans: Fall 2023
- Final construction plans: Winter 2023/spring 2024
- Public open houses:
- Summer 2022
- Fall/winter 2022
- Construction: Spring 2024–fall 2024
Project details
- West of Finch Court, County Road 88 will be realigned to the north and constructed as a new two-lane rural roadway. A new intersection will be constructed at County Road 88 and Highway 56. New local roadways and extensions of existing roadways will be constructed that connect the existing alignment, Felton Avenue and 296th Street to the new County Road 88 alignment. Portions of the existing County Road 88 alignment will be removed.
- East of Finch Court, County Road 88 will be reconstructed as a two-lane roadway generally along the existing County Road 88 corridor. The alignment will be shifted slightly north and reconstructed from Finch Court to the western edge of Lake Byllesby Regional Park.
- Between the western edge of Lake Byllesby Regional Park and the eastern Dakota County line (about 0.4 miles east of Highway 52), County Road 88 will be reconstructed.
- The reconstructed roadway will include 12-foot travel lanes and 6-foot paved shoulders. The design will accommodate a future 10-foot trail next to the highway.
- The new intersections of County Road 88 and Highway 56 will include a southbound left turn lane and a northbound right turn lane on Highway 56 and westbound left and right turn lanes on County Road 88.
- The intersection with the new connection to the realigned County Road 88 will include a westbound left turn lane and an eastbound right turn lane
- The 294th and west 296th Avenue intersections with County Road 88 will be combined into one intersection with a westbound left turn lane and an eastbound right turn lane.
- The intersection of County Road 88 and Finch Court will include a westbound right turn lane
- The intersection of County Road 88 and Friendly Avenue will include a westbound left turn lane and an eastbound right turn lane
- The east intersection of County Road 88 and 296th Avenue will be closed.
- The intersection of County Road 88 and Fullerton Road will include an eastbound left turn bypass lane and a County Road 88 westbound right turn lane.
- The intersection of County Road 88 and Gaylord Avenue will include an eastbound left turn lane and a westbound right turn lane.
- The intersection of County Road 88 and Gerlach Avenue will include a westbound left turn lane and an eastbound right turn lane.
- The intersection of Hagen Avenue will include an eastbound right turn lane.
- The intersection of County Road 88 and Harry Avenue will be reconstructed to include County Road 88 eastbound right and left turn lanes, County Road 88 westbound left and right turn lanes, and shared left/through and right turn lanes on northbound and southbound Harry Avenue. The intersection will be realigned to the north to allow for improved sight lines and reduced skew at the intersection.
- At the entrance to Cannon Golf Club, the intersection will include a County Road 88 westbound left turn lane and eastbound right turn lane.
Mills Town State Trail project
Space for a potential trail on the south side of County Road 88 is included in the current project design. The future trail is part of the Lake Byllesby Regional Park Master Plan which called for a greenway between the east and west park locations.
A feasibility study is underway to determine if a portion of this trail can be located along existing County Road 88 instead of along the realignment of County Road 88. The trail will be paved at some point in the future.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MnDNR) has expressed interest in using this section of future trail as part of the planned Mills Town State Trail to Faribault.
For more information
Contact John Sass at john.sass@co.dakota.mn.us. Please include “CSAH 88 Update" in the subject line.
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