Hwy 14-Olmsted Co. Rd 3 median near Byron to temporarily close Friday morning

(ABC 6 News) – Highway 14 motorists west of Rochester will encounter a short-term median closure at Olmsted County Road 3 near Byron on Friday morning.

According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), the closure will be due to crews painting double yellow centerline stripes and triangular yield lines in the median as part of increased safety measures reminding motorists of traffic at the intersection.

Next week, MnDOT is scheduled to install oversized “Intersection Ahead” warning signs which will be equipped with flashers later this year.

The work is part of an overall interim plan to improve safety at Highway 14 intersections west of Rochester.

In late July, MnDOT maintenance crews removed the medians at Highway 14 and Olmsted County Road 44 and 7^th Street Northwest, east of the County Road 3 intersection

Construction is expected to begin in 2023 at the County Road 3 intersection to build a J-turn to improve safety. In a J-turn, motorists approaching divided highways from a side road are not allowed to make left turns or cross traffic; instead, they are required to turn right onto the highway and then make a U-turn at a designated median opening.

Next year, Country Club Road at Byron will close after the intersection construction at County Road 3 is completed in June.

Additionally, MnDOT plans to continue with the installation of the high-tension cable median barriers along the Highway 14 ditch in 2023. This change will not affect safety at intersections, but can significantly reduce head-on cross-over crashes along this highway corridor.

To learn more about the Highway 14 project, CLICK HERE.