Rochester City Council Approves Lane Reduction For Elton Hills Dr.

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Rochester City Council has approved a lane reduction for Elton Hills Dr. NW. 

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The busy street is scheduled to have mill and overlay work done next Spring. City council members considered three configurations ahead of Monday night’s vote. 

Two of those options reduced the roadway’s lanes from four to three. 

Read More: Lane Reduction Recommended for Elton Hills Dr. in Rochester 

One of the lane reduction options included parking on both sides of the street and the other had parking on one side and a two-lane bike track on the other. 

The third option was to maintain the current configuration of the four-lane roadway. 

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Rochester City Council Approves 3-Lane Configuration for Elton Hills Dr.

The city council approved the configuration calling for an eastbound lane, westbound lane, center left-turn lane and parking on both sides of the street. City staff recommended the configuration approved by the council. 

A presentation shown to the council members included federal traffic data that indicated the proposed configuration could lead to a decrease in crashes and vehicle speeds. 

City of Rochester

The vote to approve the design was 6-1, with Councilmember Norman Wahl casting the lone nay vote. 

The configuration chosen by the city council was one of 14 options presented to the city after a traffic study on the road. The study was done to “inform potential lane configurations and safety improvements,” the agenda item states. 

Elton Hills Dr. Bike lane option (top), Parking both sides (bottom). City of Rochester

City officials narrowed the list to the three options after community engagement and a City Council study session last month, according to the agenda item. 

Motion for Lane Reduction With Bike Track Fails by One Vote

A motion to approve the lane reduction with bike lanes failed on a 4-3 vote. 

It was supported by council members Nick Miller and Dan Doering and City Council President Randy Schubring. 

City staff cited concerns with snow removal and garbage pickup being associated with the bike lane configuration. 

The design process is set to begin next month and continue into April. Mill and overlay work is scheduled to begin in May of next year.