Drivers may see a delay in cross-street and left-turn traffic along Highway 13 as the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) works to coordinate new traffic signal timing plans on Highway 13 from County Road 101 in Savage to Five Hawks Avenue in Prior Lake.

MnDOT representatives are asking drivers to be patient during the period of adjustment as motorists get used to the new timing. Cross-street and left-turn traffic will wait a little longer and have limited green light times, and left-turn sequences were changed at many intersections to ease heavy traffic in both directions.

Over time, a consultant for MnDOT will document the overall reduction in delays, stops and fuel consumption due to the coordinating of the signals.

According to MnDOT, the consultant took new turning movement counts last spring and optimized timing plans based on those counts for various times of the day. The signals from Five Hawks Avenue to Fish Point Road have four different timing plans with one afternoon rush-hour timing plan running cross coordinated on County Road 21 from Highway 13 to Fish Point Road.

The signals from South Park Drive to County Road 101 have five different timing plans running with cross coordination on County Road 42.

Working with the county, MnDOT also made adjustments to the signals at Rutgers Street and Quebec Avenue along County Road 42 to cross coordinate them with Highway 13.

Drivers seeking information about the new timing can call MnDOT Signal Optimization Engineer Kevin Schwartz at 651-234-7840.