Midway Rd Railroad Crossing Planning Study
Overview
St. Louis County is exploring the community's desire for completing improvements at the railroad crossings located on Midway Rd (CSAH 13) at St. Louis River Rd (CSAH 19/CR 696) and in Adolph (0.2 mile south of Hwy 2). This effort is requesting help from key stakeholder groups to provide input for this exploration study process.
Midway Road carries approximately 6,900 vehicles per day over both railroad crossings. The railroad crossings each carry approximately 30 trains per day. Both railroad crossings are controlled by signals and gates that automatically activate when a train is approaching.
The exploration study has led the county to apply for the 2024 application for Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) grant funding from the Federal Railroad Administration. The website below includes the supporting information for this grant.
St. Louis County has identified the following issues related to the railroad crossings on Midway Rd:
- Traffic Delays: The volume of traffic and trains causes significant delay in terms of total time for travelers on Midway Rd. This delay can be multiplied when vehicles are stopped at both railroad crossings. Traffic on Midway Rd is also impacted when maintenance is necessary at either railroad crossing.
- Traffic Safety: When a line of vehicles is formed to wait at a railroad crossing, also known as a traffic queue, there is a risk of a high-speed vehicle crashing into the back of the traffic queue. There is also a hill located approximately 0.4 mile south of the railroad crossing in Adolph that reduces the available stopping sight distance for northbound drivers to the back of the northbound traffic queue, increasing the risk of a high-speed vehicle crashing into the back of this traffic queue.
- Traffic Congestion: The short distance between the Adolph railroad crossing and Hwy 2 means that there is limited storage capacity for southbound vehicles on Midway Rd which can result in vehicles backing up into the intersection of Midway Rd and Hwy 2.
- Railroad Crossing Safety: The safety performance of railroad crossings in Minnesota and St. Louis County demonstrates that railroad crossings controlled by signals and gates do not eliminate vehicle crashes involving a train.
Study Input
The study will invite input from three stakeholder groups:
- General Public
- Trucking Industry
- Local agencies (includes representation from administration, engineering, maintenance, planning, law enforcement and emergency response)
- St. Louis County
- City of Hermantown
- Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT)
- Midway Township
- Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council (MIC)
- CN Railroad
- Local businesses along Midway Rd
Stay Informed
1. Attend in-person and virtual meetings
2. Complete the online survey (CLOSED)
3. Add your comments to the online comment map (CLOSED)
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Public Meeting #3
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Meeting Recording Link: Midway Rd Railroad Crossing Study 3rd Public Meeting (youtube.com)(External link)
Date/Time: Monday, December 4, 2023 at 6 pm
Meeting Location: City of Hermantown City Hall Training Center
This meeting included an in-depth discussion on the next steps we are planning for this project. See more information below for what was discussed at the first two public meetings.
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Public Meeting #2
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Meeting Recording Link: Midway Rd Railroad Crossing Study 3rd Public Meeting (youtube.com)(External link)
Date/Time: Tuesday, September 12, 2023 at 6 pm
Meeting Location: City of Hermantown City Hall Training Center
This meeting included an in-depth discussion on what the project team heard during the first wave of public engagement. See more information below for what was discussed at the first public meeting.
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Public Meeting #1
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Meeting Recording Link: Midway Rd Railroad Crossing Study 1st Public Meeting (youtube.com)(External link)
Date/Time: Monday, May 8, 2023
Meeting Location: City of Hermantown City Hall Training Center
St. Louis County Contacts
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Phone 218-625-3873 Email lundv@stlouiscountymn.gov
Documents
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Public Meeting Presentations
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2024 SLC Railroad Crossing Safety Plan (73.2 MB) (pdf)
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Exploration Study Survey Results (189 KB) (pdf)
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MnDOT | US 2 & Midway Rd Intersection Control Evaluation (2021) (5.15 MB) (pdf)
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Environmental Readiness Narrative (81.7 KB) (pdf)
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CSAH 13 Railroad Crossing Elimination Narrative (Final) (2.62 MB) (pdf)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Exploration Study?
The purpose of this exploration study is to gain an understanding of the community’s desire for improvements at the railroad crossings on Midway Rd. As the name implies, this study will explore the perspectives of stakeholder groups that represent key interests with the goal of developing a consensus about potential future improvements. It is important to note that this is not a planning project. A planning project is focused on developing engineering solutions and seeking funding to implement those solutions.
Why is this study being done?
It is important to plan for future needs of major highways such as Midway Rd. Planning efforts take years to complete. Available funding is typically tied to the quality of a planning process. It is equally important to understand the perspectives and desires of the local community. It would be premature for St. Louis County to begin a planning process without first engaging with the local community.
Does St. Louis County already have its mind made up regarding what to do with Midway Rd at the railroad crossings?
Not even close. While there have historically been suggestions to complete major improvements such as bridge overpasses or realign Midway Rd, St. Louis County does not have a conclusive idea or solution. Before starting a planning process to develop a solution, St. Louis County prioritized the need to begin with this Exploration Study to gain an understanding of the community’s desire for potential improvements.
Does my input matter?
Yes, your input matters. Without active participation by the local community, the Midway Rd of the future may not reflect the values of the local community.
How will you gain an understanding of the perspectives of key stakeholders and develop a consensus?
The key is intentional and thorough engagement. The Exploration Study will be divided into four phases of engagement with stakeholder groups that represent key interests. The first phase is dedicated to listening to concerns, issues, and future visions of Midway Rd. The second phase includes an online survey and comment map that will be open for public input for an extended period of time. The third phase includes reporting back to the stakeholder groups about what was learned through the initial meetings, and survey and comment map. It is during this third phase that the meetings will attempt to refine the future vision of Midway Rd. The fourth and final phase includes reporting back to the stakeholder groups about the final conclusions of the Exploration Study and to discuss next steps.
Does St. Louis County have a project programmed or dedicated funding to complete a major improvement project on Midway Rd related to the railroad crossings?
St. Louis County does not have plans or funding to complete major improvements on Midway Rd at the railroad crossings. St. Louis County does occasionally have projects to maintain the roadway pavement surface, railroad crossing surfaces or railroad crossing gates. However, these are considered maintenance type projects that do not include modifying Midway Rd in a significant way.