Drivers using painted median as turn lane at south Minneapolis intersection raise concerns

Street markings tell motorists where they can and cannot drive, but a pair of double solid yellow lines at a busy intersection in south Minneapolis' Seward neighborhood apparently are not dissuading drivers from making illegal and dangerous left turns.

Never mind that four large "No Left Turn" signs are posted at the three-way intersection where eastbound Franklin Avenue meets Riverside Avenue and S. 29th Avenue. Two sets of double yellow lines on eastbound Franklin right outside the Seward Co-Op mark a painted median separating eastbound from westbound traffic and denote an area where motorists are not allowed.

But the space between the traffic lanes is wide enough to look like it could be a turn lane, said Drive reader Karen.

"The extra yellow paint on the pavement just before it comes to Riverside Avenue seems to designate that a driver east on Franklin can turn left onto Riverside Avenue," she said. "Somebody will get killed or banged up."

The Drive visited the complicated intersection last week and within minutes witnessed what prompted her concern. A motorist crossed the double yellow lines, pulled into the space between the traffic lanes, waited for oncoming vehicles to clear the intersection and made the wide and prohibited turn onto northbound Riverside Avenue.

"I'm amazed how many people turn left," Karen said

Drivers mistakenly entering the non-turning space cause other problems, too, she said. They impede drivers attempting to make a left from 29th Avenue onto westbound Franklin.

"The walk signs are not coordinated to allow for these drivers turning left, which creates new problems," she said.

She wondered if the problems might disappear if the paint marking the median was removed.

The painted median has been in place for about five years, said Erica Skinner, a spokeswoman for Hennepin County, which shares responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the intersection with the city of Minneapolis. Franklin is a county road while 29th and Riverside are city streets.

City and county engineers visited the intersection after the Drive brought the issue to their attention, and "they are talking through potential options," Skinner said. One remedy being considered includes adding diagonal striping across the painted median to keep drivers out, Skinner said.

Residents can report problems they see to the county or city at hennepin.us/residents/transportation/report-a-problem, she said.

"The amount of horn honking is amazing; you hear it and jump right up," Susan said. "My husband and I joke that maybe horn honking is mandatory in roundabouts. Should we be honking our horn whenever we enter a roundabout?" she asked during a phone call.

No, said Elisa Nordby of the Richfield Police Department.

"Honking is not an acceptable practice for roundabouts or any other time while driving, unless you are trying to alert someone to danger," she said.