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WACONIA - Highway 284/10 intersection gets upgraded (Created: Friday, October 3, 2008 4:47 PM CDT)

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Fatal intersection gets quick safety enhancement

Carver County and MnDOT officials acted quickly this week after a fatal accident at the intersection of Highway 284 and County Road 10. A Watertown man was killed there after he apparently rolled through the intersection and collided with another vehicle on Highway 284. According to State Patrol records, Nathan T. Benson, 28, of Watertown, was eastbound on County Road 10 in Waconia when he reportedly failed to stop at a stop sign at Highway 284 at 9:08 a.m. Sept. 29.

A vehicle being driven by Robert L. Naffziger of Brooklyn Park was southbound on Highway 284. It struck the Benson vehicle, a 1989 Plymouth Voyager, in the driver’s side door. Benson was pronounced dead at the scene. Naffziger suffered minor injuries and was treated at Ridgeview Medical Center.

This week MnDOT and Carver County Public Works teamed up to install larger stop signs at that intersection and also installed signs that indicate to County Road 10 drivers that "Cross Traffic Does Not Stop."

This intersection has been the source of a handful of crashes in recent months, possibly because of the number of road detours and new road openings in the area.

New traffic counts will be done in that area in the coming week to determine if additional safety measures are needed in the near future. This intersection is slated for a new roundabout in the summer of 2009.

- Keith Anderson

Reader Comments

Comments are limited to 200 words or less.

Anonymous wrote on Oct 8, 2008 10:32 PM:

" We don't need more roundabouts. Hwy 7 was messed up already by 2 of them. Trucks have already gotten stuck in them because they are too small. Something you don't hear much about from the ones who decided to put them in. What will happen in winter and once full traffic goes through them. If an accident occurs you may as well stay for the duration since there is no way to pass or get around with only one lane.They may be the latest buzz word but that doesn't mean they are good. "

Kelly wrote on Oct 8, 2008 2:29 PM:

" This is a horrible intersection and I try to avoid it as much as I can. Cars drive too fast and they rarely stop completely at the stop signs. They pretty much roll through them. DANGEROUS. I would vote that MN DOT put a traffic light up here which I believe would actually force the traffic to stop and pedestrians would be able to cross safely. "

Bobby wrote on Oct 8, 2008 11:54 AM:

" A stoplight is not needed there. A roundabout is a better idea but not a great one. If MNDOT was serious about the problem there is one thing that will help this problem almost immediately. REDUSE THE SPEED LIMIT, then enforce it. There is no reason cars should be going 45 mph through there. There are several home and parks on both sides of the street. Slow the traffic down. I drive this road everyday and NEVER go above 35. There are to many homes and people walking in this area. If we don't slow down traffic the person that dies may be a child trying to go the play at the park. "

Jason wrote on Oct 8, 2008 9:26 AM:

" I drive HWY 10 and cross that intersection twice a day.
Roundabouts are a BAD IDEA!
Give it time and MnDoT will learn this.
I would agree that stop lights would help here, but no more roundabouts.
The increased traffic from nearby construction has added to the traffic on this route.
Turn lanes on HWY 10 at this intersection would also help.
Traffic has been noticibly slower from HWY 5 to HWY 10 along that stratch of 284 mostly because of the roundabout on 284.
That doesn't make it a smart idea to use roundabouts.
A stoplight on the HWY 10 and 284 intersection would have the same effect even without the roundabout and would likely negate the need for that roundabout. "

Nina wrote on Oct 7, 2008 12:25 PM:

" The city should install a stop light at this intersection. Not only would it slow down the cars that are speeding on 284 (who never obey the speed limit), and it would make it safer for pedestrians crossing the highway. It would force people to have some patience...like it or not. "

Anonymous wrote on Oct 6, 2008 3:39 PM:

" Who planned the whole Hwy 10 project? It doesn't seem like the people planning this project did their research. Why were "rumble strips" placed not taking into account the noise factor for neighboring homes. How much money was spent paving over the strips?? And NOW a fatal collision amoung coutless other cars that have collided at the intersection of two major Highways, one of which is a State Highway! "

Lisa wrote on Oct 6, 2008 2:17 PM:

" My vote is for a good old fashioned stop LIGHT at this intersection. People no longer know how to act at a stop sign. It does not matter that someone has now put up a sign that says "cross traffic does not stop". Drivers still act like it's a 4 way stop and they get mad if a car that actually has the LEGAL right of way makes a move before them because they were there first. A flashing light and a new sign is not the answer to this problem. A don't believe a roundabout is a good idea either since there are two parks in this area and that would mean forcing children to try and cross in aroundabout. In aroundabout intersection traffic is always moving and if cars are always moving a child can certainly be hit. The answer is to put a stoplight here and control speed. "

Marie wrote on Oct 5, 2008 8:04 PM:

" IF additional safety measures are needed??? How many more people are going to have to die before they do something OTHER than putting up little red blinking lights??? "

Joe wrote on Oct 5, 2008 9:13 AM:

" Why are CC officals and MnDOT scratching their heads on this. Its obvious to anyone who drives hwy 10 to get onto the new Hwy 212 that the freeway opening has brought a very heavy steady stream on vehicles onto the 'rumble road' Hwy 10. I would venture that the traffic counts will measure that hwy 10 has more traffic than hwy 284 at that intersection. This should cause the Stop Signs to be switched at that intersection - meaning Move the Stop Signs presently on hwy 10 and put them on hwy 284 instead. Please, Please do NOT put another StopLight in Waconia. Stick with the plan for the Roundabout. Roundabouts have many, many advantages over stop signs and lights. Regards. "

Jane wrote on Oct 4, 2008 3:55 PM:

" Thiswas already a dangerous intersection and has become more so in recent months with CTY 10 becoming a major highway. It angers me that they put in round-about just south of here when this is the problem intersection. It was already a partially-blind intersection before the traffic increase, which now backs up badly during rush hour, and puts pressure on people to take risks when crossing. "

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