So it isn't just me!

While staying in Eden Prairie for over two weeks last month and making a number of trips there since my office is nearby, I started to question my sense of direction. (No, not in life. Just in driving.)

The area where 494, 169, 212 and 5 intersect, interchange and basically swirl in circles with local streets have just barely begun to make sense to me after more than a month. I always found my way, but only with the notion that it couldn't have been the most direct route.

Exiting Eden Prairie Center can even give experts like Bonnie momentary pause, so imagine how a newbie used to gridded street layouts like me has been doing!

Much to my relief, I'm not alone! According to today's Star Tribune:

"Eden Prairie's winding streets have confused motorists since the 1980s...drivers must find their way into the city from several freeway exits. Once off the freeway they must take a loop...[that] often leaves drivers clueless about what direction they are going."

Clueless is an understatement. It's a good thing I enjoy driving around until I find what I'm looking for (and also a good thing Chris isn't here yet, because he is not a fan of that methodology). As the city's economic development manager puts it: "people are finding their way even though there might be a little frustration."

Although I've taken the scenic route in many places besides Eden Prairie, it's been by far the most confusing area for me. Now that I've begun to figure it out, it appears that help is on the way! The city is going to add nearly 60 "Eden Prairie Ring Road" signs for the Prairie Center Drive and Valley View Road circle to let drivers know they're on a loop.

I like the idea, but don't know that this solution will alleviate the real problem, which for me is the loop itself, where to find things on the loop and how to get off the darn thing and on to the right highway going in the right direction!