MARSHALL — The Minnesota Department of Transportation is trying to put more traffic safety measures in place on Highway 23 in Marshall, Marshall City Council members learned this week. On Tuesday the city council voted to sign a letter of support for building a J-turn at the intersection of Minnesota Highway 23 and Tiger Drive.

“It is MnDOT’s intent to submit for a Highway Safety Improvement Program grant to do a J-turn improvement at that intersection,” said Marshall Public Works Director Jason Anderson.

The intersection, located between Marshall High School and Southwest Minnesota State University, is a busy and dangerous one, council members said. The Tiger Drive intersection was one of the main points of concern discussed at a Highway 23 safety meeting early this year.

At the meeting, members of the Marshall Area Transportation Group, local stakeholders and MnDOT representatives talked about trouble spots for safety along Minnesota Highway 23 in Marshall.

“There was really good discussion with MnDOT staff at that meeting, and a lot of good input,” Anderson said.

After the meeting, the city of Marshall had applied for grant funding to build a J-turn on Highway 23 at the Tiger Drive intersection, but was unsuccessful, Anderson said. Now, MnDOT will be applying for HSIP funding.

“We’re happy to see MnDOT is picking up the torch,” Anderson said.

Council member James Lozinski said he was in support of the proposal, but he wondered if building a J-turn would mean getting rid of the 35 mile-per-hour speed limit near MHS. Lozinski said he would like to see the lower speed limit stay.

“It’s a dangerous intersection,” he said.

Anderson said he didn’t know at this point whether a J-turn would impact the school speed zone. MnDOT planned to study the intersection in drafting a design, he said.

“MnDOT has done quite a bit of study on this intersection already,” added Mayor Bob Byrnes.

Council members voted to sign a letter of support for MnDOT’s grant application.