Public Meeting Friday About Magnolia Construction Project Traffic Problems
Todd Pittenger - Thu 03:10 PM 05/17/2012
Traffic passes through the construction area Saturday afternoon.
City of Salina officials will host a meeting on Friday to discuss a South Salina construction zone that has become a traffic problem.
Motorists disobeying a detour on East Magnolia in a construction zone are causing traffic problems and safety concerns in a neighborhood.
The area of concern is in a neighborhood just south of Magnolia. A stretch of Magnolia is currently closed for a construction project, beginning just east of Shalimar Drive. Traffic headed east on Magnolia is being re-routed north on Ohio to Crawford Street, east on Crawford to Markley Road, and then back south on Markley Road to Magnolia.
Numerous motorists are ignoring the detour, and "road closed to thru traffic" signs. Instead they are detouring along Sierra, and through a residential neighborhood.
Police say this is causing both traffic problems, and safety concerns for the neighborhood. All motorists heading east on Magnolia are urged to use the correct detour.
Earlier this week, police began stopping drivers who ignore the "road closed to thru traffic" signs and instead choose to use Sierra as their detour.
Officers have written numerous tickets in the area. This is a construction zone, so the tickets cost in excess of $150.
The city is considering a different plan for the area. A city proposal for modifying the Magnolia Road construction traffic control to limit additional traffic in adjacent neighborhoods will be presented in the sanctuary of First Southern Baptist Church at the corner of Magnolia Road and Ohio Street. The public meeting will be at 7:30 Friday evening.
Citizen concerns and comments will be heard following the presentation.
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hillbilly
Thursday 17 May 2012 15:20 Report this comment
Here is how to solve this problem. Install double barricades on Sierra at Magnolia. Also install spike strips across the full width of Sierra. Make it so there in only one way in and out of the subdivision and if drivers chose to ignore the prohibition of traffic let them pay for knew tires as well as quadrupled fines and double court costs. I bet people would use the assigned detour then.
plisken
Thursday 17 May 2012 15:35 Report this comment
Does there really need to be a meeting to discuss this matter? In my opinion, just keep as is and let the drivers, leave a little bit earlier to their destination and continue to ticket those who chose to break the law. Problem solved.
grnthums
Thursday 17 May 2012 15:53 Report this comment
Shut down the east leg of Sierra and River Trail Rd. Locals have access to south Ohio. PROBLEM SOLVED!
Iamgonnagetu
Thursday 17 May 2012 16:27 Report this comment
The city would not pull this anywhere else so why here? Then they said for 7 months. You can build 7 or more miles of road in 7 months. Evidently someone got paid under the table on this. With the road completely closed should not take more than 4 to 6 weeks to get the storm sewers installed. The city would not pull this say at magnolia and ninth street so why here?
hassle
Thursday 17 May 2012 18:20 Report this comment
I have not gone past the detour signs but it is a huge problem to have to go out of the way to patron the south end of Salina. Had they not closed Water Well Road, this may not be such an issue for those of us that live off of Magnolia. With the prices of fuel every mile that one can save is important. Many of us in this area work on the south end of Salina. I just don't think that they thought this plan through. Maybe the city and the county didn't coordinate their plans. Hopefully something will be resolved at the meeting tonight. I firmly believe that the safety of the neighborhoods is very important but all of us wouldn't drive cattle trucks and heavy equipment through the neighborhoods. Coming home from work there have been people that have tried to turn west off of Markley road and realized that they couldn't get through so they did a u-turn and almost got hit by other vehicles. This is a safety hazard no matter where you live.
concerned2
Thursday 17 May 2012 18:44 Report this comment
I am amazed that poor planning on the individuals responsible for this road construction did not see the problems this would cause. Any progressive community wound never consider completely blocking one of the busiest entersections in the entire city. Salina is always trying to "Act like the big cities" but the big cities develop an extra street and never completely shut off drivers from their destinations for 7 months! This is rediculous! Those of us that live in the city limits should have access to south salina. We pay city taxes and should be able to use our streets without having to pay more for gas for a very long detour or get a ticket because the people didn't plan well or think through what would happen with this situation.
RONNIEMUR
Thursday 17 May 2012 20:21 Report this comment
I cannot wait to see those that ranted for days on this site go to the meeting.
xnextra456
Thursday 17 May 2012 20:57 Report this comment
For this stage of the project they should have diverted traffic thru this particular neighborhood and posted signs for “no parking” on that street, for safety reasons, until construction was complete. When the construction reaches the bridge, it should be diverted to one lane with a traffic signal.
xnextra456
Thursday 17 May 2012 20:58 Report this comment
I disagree with many of the comments on this subject and also think that this is an abuse of the law. I think a better solution could have been made. A six mile recommended detour for seven months is unfortunate, and uncalled for. Did I see somewhere that we are talking about 4,000+ cars a day? Why did we leave access to the East and West of that neighborhood? Do the people in that neighborhood get to have more privileges than the rest of us? It is a public street and it allows passage from either side. I would call that a smart choice on saving time and gas. From my understanding, it is alright to go around the construction on the North side. Huh…?
xnextra456
Thursday 17 May 2012 20:59 Report this comment
They should only give tickets to people who are breaking a real law, such as speeding. I do not see how the tickets handed out could hold up in court. They did not go around a barricade and drive onto the construction site. They chose a different detour route.
xnextra456
Thursday 17 May 2012 20:59 Report this comment
I believe that the city management has been misguided, and to a point, under-educated on the process of road construction. I also believe that with the current cuts in funding they have taken low bids on project improvements that jeopardize the safety of our community. How many times have you personally entered a construction zone to see traffic cones diverting you into oncoming traffic, no warning signs posted before you get there. What happened to the flashing lights on barricades at night that would inform you that a lane was closed off? Have you ever noticed that we have two lanes heading south on Ohio but one of them is forced to turn right onto Schilling at the intersection? Where is the sign to merge or turn? I do not see how any of these things pass during inspections.
xnextra456
Thursday 17 May 2012 21:00 Report this comment
Shame on you…. city inspectors. Shame on you….city council. I am surprised that the insurance companies haven’t corrected some of these problems and shifted the prosecution on the city for poor planning and lack of following proper procedure. How many people have been involved in accidents that have actually been caused by the inferior design of our city streets? I do not hold a grudge on the police department. They are doing as they are instructed and I believe that they do a great job protecting the community. On this subject, I tend to shift the blame more on our elected officials.
Iamgonnagetu
Thursday 17 May 2012 23:59
(Deleted by Administrator)
chuckwagon
Friday 18 May 2012 08:22 Report this comment
Let's see now. We should follow the signs. On S 9th, the sign says right lane closed, thrn the next sign says KEEP RIGHT. Oh well so is life.
RONNIEMUR
Friday 18 May 2012 09:06 Report this comment
@Iam..you'll know me when you meet/see me because I use my real name, not a fake screen name. Ill also be the one with a backbone that enables me to speak without making ignorant, false accusations. That should be easy for you to spot since it seems it would be new to you. Good on you with the gay comment, I haven't heard anyone call someone else gay out of weakness since grade school. So sad.
tgsalina
Friday 18 May 2012 11:27 Report this comment
You could say that it's the price of progress. The sad part is that this work could have been done 20 years ago, when it first looked like there would be enough traffic, development in the area, etc. to warrant these improvements. At that time, it wouldn't have been nearly as much of an inconvenience to so many people. Unfortunately, people in Salina aren't willing to cough up the money for infrastructure improvements until they are absolutely necessary.
THEENFORCER
Friday 18 May 2012 14:19 Report this comment
ronnie I read what Ima put about you its to bad the guy who deleted it is evidently gay also.
THEENFORCER
Friday 18 May 2012 14:26 Report this comment
After reading the salina journal this morning there is no reason for anyone to attend this meeting as they have already made up their mind about closing the whole road. Evidenly the person who screwed this whole thing up is an engineer named Harrison. This is the guy that should be fired because of his inability to perform his job. Nobody with an ounce of brains would close a road that has 6000 cars traveling it a day. If this Harrison wants a fight he better be ready for one. There is no reason that one lane with a traffic light cannot be opened for cars to travel on. Smokey Hill is doing the work and if they need 7 months then they should not have been awarded the contract or they should double or thriple the men and machines to get this done in a more timely manner.
equineman7
Friday 18 May 2012 14:31 Report this comment
Alright city commissioners get this taken care of now. I travel this road a bunch and so do many other people. If your engineer is incapable of keeping at least one lane open for traffic he needs to be relieved of his duties immediately. Here is a real problem not the bs gay deal. You gave to much time to that probably the reason this slipped by you. But believe me 6000 cars and people will not be silenced.
RONNIEMUR
Friday 18 May 2012 20:23 Report this comment
@then...Refer to sentence two of my previous comment and ty to stay on topic.