No Easy Solution To Traffic Problem
Todd Pittenger - Fri 09:56 PM 05/18/2012
Officials planning to close the entire stretch of road
A group of concerned citizens attended a public forum Friday night 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 couple of neighborhoods along east 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. From the west, they are detouring along Sierra, and through a residential neighborhood. They are detouring on River Trail from the east.
Police say this is causing both traffic problems, and safety concerns for the neighborhood.
According to the city, on a normal day about 9,000 vehicles pass along that stretch of Magnolia, while 800 vehicles use Sierra on a normal day. After the project started, the traffic count on Sierra spiked to 3,600 vehicles a day. After police began to aggressively enforce the area, the traffic count dropped to 2,000 vehicles a day.
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 $155.
A couple of other factors further complicate the issue.
The Eagle Crest retirement home, which is in the construction area, right now has only one entrance from Magnolia. A back entrance is currently under construction. Access to the retirement home will soon come via Wayne Street, or other close-by neighborhood streets.
To the south, Saline County has closed Water Well Road for construction, so traffic cannot be rerouted in that direction. The only alternative is Crawford Street, which is a 10 – 15 minute detour.
The initial plan was to close portions of Magnolia in phases. Instead, officials are opting to close the entire stretch of road.
Magnolia from east of River Trail to west of Sierra would be closed. Traffic will be detoured to Crawford Street and Markley Road to get around the construction area. Residents in the area will have access to their neighborhoods, but will have to follow the detours.
Multiple people presented different ideas Friday evening, but city officials believe that the best solution is to close the entire stretch of road.
The project is scheduled to be entirely completed in January.
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Iamgonnagetu
Saturday 19 May 2012 09:48 Report this comment
The easy solution is to terminate employment of the city officials involved. I for one was going to attend but when I read they had all ready made up their minds why waste my time. Why even Hold a meeting? Now this falls on the city commissions and city managers plate. Also there may be some relief if the state steps in.
grnthums
Saturday 19 May 2012 10:17 Report this comment
It has been stated over and over: The roadway is to be LOWERED 4ft. for drainage. That area of Magnolia has been problematic for the houses adjacent to the street. No temporary access due to this lowering. In addition, 15-20 minute detour time is false. We spend more time at traffic lights on Ohio than the added time to detour. I hear you. Warming-up for the opera. MEMEMEMEME!
innocent
Saturday 19 May 2012 10:47 Report this comment
So I 100% understand the concerns. However where we're these concerns during the Ohio/Crawford construction? Just as many cars must have been cutting through residential areas and there was no fuss. Since when is it illegal to drive through residential areas? Guess I can't go house shopping anymore!
racinagain
Saturday 19 May 2012 15:13 Report this comment
It is my understanding that people are driving on roads that are not under construction but allow the driver to go around the construction. I understand that people are concerned about the increased traffic, but I believe my taxes have helped to pay for those roads as well. I see no problem with the detour being the way it is but do not see how the police can write a ticket to somebody because they did not follow the official detour route. As long as the roads are open, I do not see how they can say you are not allowed to drive on them.
getumgranny
Saturday 19 May 2012 15:27 Report this comment
The people that live in this area are whining because they do not want so many people driving thru their neighborhood, well, I didn't hear the people that live around the Crawford/Ohio project whining. I saw plenty of traffic using the side streets thru the residential area, where was the city's concern for those people. Do they think they are more entitled because of where they live? They need to suck it up and be grateful they get things fixed in their neighborhood!! racinagain is right, as long as it is a PUBLIC STREET, not closed to thru traffic, anyone that is a legal driver has every right to drive on those streets, if I were to get a ticket I would challenge it in court, as long as you are obeying all other traffic laws that ticket would have to be dismissed!! How dare the city tell taxpayers they can't drive on a public street our taxes pay for. Unless, it is legitimately closed for construction, not just because some people do not want us driving by their houses!!
mfor1
Saturday 19 May 2012 17:31 Report this comment
To getumgranny I need to address your question. Do they think they are more entitled because of where they live? Answer is NO! And you need to go suck it up and shut it up. I live on one of those side streets and don't think I'm entitled to anything or think I'm better than anyone else. The problem we have and are sick of is being harassed by police everytime we drive to get to our house, and no we don't go through the barricades. I know 3 people who the police have stopped and when you tell them you live in the neighborhood they follow you to your house, now that is harrassment plain and simple.
THEENFORCER
Saturday 19 May 2012 21:13 Report this comment
mfor1 we are all on the same side and maybe your not complaining but others are according to the police. Now would our wonderful police lie to us? Darn right they would. Granny usually is right about things she comments on along with a few others and to tell her to suck it up and shut up is wrong. As wrong as what the police are doing. We all need to start calling the city managers office and each an every city commissioner and demand action be taken. They can have one lane of traffic go through there with a light. They should have built a temporary road like they do on all projects.
THEENFORCER
Saturday 19 May 2012 21:17 Report this comment
Also to hold a meeting then come out an say we already know what we are going to do is so wrong. Tell you another thing friday they had you detour off ohio right smack into a resurfacing of magnolia now how much good planning went into that. Sorry but some heads need to roll and this has got to be reworked and the police need to spend more time solving crimes being committed not writing tickets.
Grif82
Saturday 19 May 2012 22:08 Report this comment
You ever thought the reason they don't want traffic going through those streets is because they don't want 9000 cars going through a residential area where children could be apt to playing and could get hurt. Quit your complaining and just detour around.
GETALIFE674
Sunday 20 May 2012 01:50 Report this comment
grif82 but it was ok for cars to come through our neighborhood when they were fixing ohio and crawford? Live with it your no different than us.
GETALIFE674
Sunday 20 May 2012 01:57 Report this comment
To close this entire stretch for 7 months is an unreasonable length of time for no more than they are doing. The engineer by the name of Harrison is to blame for this and he better get it corrected. There needs to be an additional road built around the construction or single lane with a traffic signal. If neither of these can be done then put the storm drains in and forget about lowering the road. The people doing the work evidently gave a low bid excluding these things and now Harrison is trying to push it by. I agree with the person above who said to keep contacting the city manager and commissioners until something is done.
Iamgonnagetu
Sunday 20 May 2012 08:41 Report this comment
Ok Todd the reporter tell us how many commissioners were present at this meeting? Was the city manager present? If the answer is No to those questions then give us names of the city representatives. Your suppose to be the reporter here so do some reporting.
ROCKER
Sunday 20 May 2012 18:45 Report this comment
first off heading south ohio , to magnolia there is no signage to prepare you for ,the construction ,until you turn east ,and surprise ,construction ahead , ,i ,see all the no through traffic ,so i ,turn left ,and follow ,what is supposed to be a detour ,but get ,lost on which way to go ,,,so im wandering ,from street to street ,,, and know why ,everyone ,is going everywhere ,,,,might be better instead of signage ,,,, follow this line on the payment and dont take another route ,unless you live in the area call neighborhoods , and know your surroundings ,,,, i myself will avoid this area completely ,,,,, cuz its a nightmare, i dont want to remember ,
troy
Sunday 20 May 2012 23:03 Report this comment
You know what's sad, after living here for over 20 years I have simply come to expect this kind of thing to take place here. If the city actually used their brains I would be totally shocked. The city never talked to the county about this construction and the county never talked to the city about the construction on Waterwell Rd. Is it actually too much to ask that these folks speak to each other, plan things together, work together. I am all for never combining the two, but there should be some kind of liasson to coordinate construction projects to avoid conflict.
troy
Sunday 20 May 2012 23:09 Report this comment
Here's a thought for the city planners: Hop in a car and drive the planned detour route. 15 minute detour seem reasonable? Is it actually only 15 minutes in the morning, noon hour, and again at 5:00? Is it more like 30 minutes? With 9,000 cars taking the detour I would guess it to be quite a bit longer. Add slick roads, a few accidents and you better have a full tank of gas, food and a change of clothes when you leave the house.
getumgranny
Monday 21 May 2012 06:38 Report this comment
troy: I like your thoughts and ideas, however, you would have to assume our City/County officials know how to "play nice" together, which we all know is not the case, on ANYTHING!! Each group wants to be the "big wheel" on a project or anything they are working on, too many Chiefs, not enough Indians!! They are all so worried about their own egos, they don't stop and think about what may be better for the tax paying, voting citizens of our community. They only have a select few people's interest they really care about, their own included!! I have watched this type of thing go on for many many years, I can tell you from experience, the only way this will EVER change is to eliminate the people that are members of the "good ole boys" club!! Then, it would require voting in people that will keep their promises and are every day people like you and I, not a bunch of whining adults!!
Iamgonnagetu
Monday 21 May 2012 08:00 Report this comment
Hey Todd still no answer on questions asked of you on reporting some facts. You believe you are some hot shot reporter but listing someone else's stories and then playing a censor does not a reporter make. You cannot continue to placate the city commissioners, city manager and police in the items you post. We the public expect and want the facts of etories posted.
GETALIFE674
Tuesday 22 May 2012 12:58 Report this comment
ALL TODD IS CAPABLE DOING IS TO DELETE PEOPLE'S STATEMENTS THEN TURNING HIS HEAD WHILE OTHERS WHO MAKE WORST STATEMENTS ARE LEFT ALONE. HE IS NOT A REPORTER HE'S A POSTER PLAIN AND SIMPLE