Highway 3: A problem of perception
I was having a conversation about speeding at Christmas dinner, when my brother remarked at the onerously slow speed limits on Highway 3 in Northfield, especially the 30 zone downtown. I responded that it is downtown, and that pedestrians need to be able to cross the roadway without freeway-speed traffic. He insisted that there weren’t even sidewalks: why would there be pedestrians?
There are in fact sidewalks on both sides of Highway 3 from W Jefferson Pkwy to Fremouw Ave (save for an infamous gap on one side), and bike lanes in the downtown portion. But the perception is rather telling. But in fact, there are several other misconceptions:
Highway 3 is not for pedestrians or bikes
As mentioned, most of Highway 3 has sidewalk coverage. There is significant nonmotorized crossing traffic downtown. Because so much of our development is oriented toward Highway 3, it’s inevitable that walkers and bikers will want to use it to access the same destinations drivers are interested in.
Highway 3 is an important access from Faribault to Farmington (or St. Paul)
False. While Highway 3 predates Interstate 35, I-35 and 35E provide much faster access to St. Paul. Google Maps marks the difference at 58 minutes versus 1 hr 28 minutes.
As a state highway, Highway 3 has to handle a lot of traffic
False. While it does handle a lot of traffic, little of that has to do with the fact that it’s a state highway. Traffic counts for Northfield indicate that about 9000 cars a day enter and leave Northfield from the south on Hwy 3, and 9700 from the north. Even if 100% of those 9000 were through-traffic (extremely unlikely, as most people are probably going to/from Northfield), that would be less than half of the traffic flowing through the central Northfield portion of Highway 3.
Put simply: Highway 3 is Northfield’s main street, with important destinations for all users. While it happens to be part of Minnesota State Highway 3, the majority of the traffic it serves is Northfield traffic.
