Jonasson Oversees Grand Forks Traffic Improvements
"I have monthly meetings with the staff there to review events and decide what traffic plans to put into place," he says. "We developed several plans to implement, depending on the level of expected traffic." Since the venues were opened in 2001, improvements have included a dynamic message sign on DeMers Ave. to provide traffic direction. Also, overhead changeable signs on DeMers can convert one of the through lanes to a left turn lane to help traffic leaving the centers. The activity at the Alerus Center and the Ralph Engelstad Arena are only part of the challenges of managing traffic in a growing city. "The biggest challenge we face is continued rapid growth in the southern areas of the city, particularly congestion along 32nd Ave," Jonasson says. "We work with our planning department and developers when they submit the site plans to try to maintain adequate spacing and limit the access to our arterial roads that carry traffic in this area. Typically, developers would like an access road for every business and a signal everywhere there is an access point. The challenge is to convince them that limited access benefits them as well as the public by providing good traffic flow for the growth in this area." The rapid growth in the area is also straining federal funding to the city. "Federal funds are used to build some of the new collector roads and arterial roads. This takes federal funding away from our other roads in the city that badly need repairs. It's a challenge to balance programming of projects to cover both ends," he says. NDSU's Advanced Traffic Analysis Center has provided help in improving traffic flows in the city, Jonasson notes. With funding from the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks Metropolitan Planning Organization, the center helped the city coordinate traffic signals along South Washington Street and developed a regional plan for implementing intelligent transportation systems. The center is also evaluating safety for traffic and pedestrians near Century Elementary School. "We've been very happy with the studies ATAC has done," he says. Jonasson recently moved back to his hometown of Milton in southeast Cavalier County. He commutes the 90 miles to Grand Forks each day. He holds an associates degree in civil engineering and surveying technology from the North Dakota State School of Science in Wahpeton. He worked for Interstate Engineering in Jamestown for seven years on NDDOT and city road and bridge projects. In 1998 he went to work for the city of Grand Forks, maintaining the LANDCADD computerized planning network for its engineering department. A few months later he was promoted to traffic engineer. One of Jonasson's first big projects was to install video detection equipment to control the traffic signals in the city. Grand Forks and Minot installed some of the first video control systems for traffic signals in the state. "Now, video detection is the standard for the city," he says. Previously, signals were controlled by electric loops in the pavement that detected traffic. "With loops we had a high failure rate. They couldn't withstand the freeze-thaw extremes. We were cutting new loops into intersections every year at a cost of $10,000 to $25,000. With video, we don't have any of that expense and inconvenience," Jonasson says. The video systems are also more flexible. "We can move the detectors to where they need to be if we have a construction project that requires us to shift traffic. We can also dial them up and look at traffic flow from the office and make adjustments. If there's a complaint, we can dial up the camera and look at what's going on. They save us a trip to the field quite often." In addition to his responsibilities as a traffic engineer, Jonasson also helps plan and coordinate all NDDOT projects within the city. |
In this issue...
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When Dan Jonasson goes to the Ralph Engelstad Arena or the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, he's usually not there to cheer on UND athletics or sing along with Tim McGraw. As Grand Forks' traffic engineer, he's there to watch traffic with an eye toward improving its flow.