Motorists on Hwy. 100 may have noticed new, bright yellow signs telling them the far right lane is reserved for drivers planning to get off the highway.
Big signs went up in the past couple of weeks on northbound Hwy. 100 at Humboldt Avenue in Brooklyn Center and southbound at France Avenue in Robbinsdale and Hwy. 55 in Golden Valley, augmenting paint markings already in place.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation puts auxiliary lanes between interchanges that are close together to give drivers more time to merge onto the highway or exit. The lanes are often — but not always — marked with the words "Exit Only," to inform drivers they are not an official travel lane.
The Drive wondered if motorists have been using the extra lanes illegally, prompting the new signage.
"Yes, there has been a history of late lane changes in these types of lanes," said Eric Peterson, MnDOT metro sign engineer. "They also generate frequent complaints and questions about why some lanes are not signed this way."
Peterson said MnDOT has been making an effort in the past few years to use this type of signage more consistently to better communicate with motorists about the purpose of the short, special lanes.
"The 'Exit Only' signage seems to be easily recognized and more clearly understood than the alternative, which include a series of small dotted lines — rather than full-length lane stripes — painted on the pavement to tell drivers that a lane is ending," Peterson said.
The signs have been given good feedback, Peterson said, and MnDOT plans to update signs across the highway and freeway system whenever possible.
