The city has backed up its schedule on the installation of traffic signals at Broadway and Harrison, it was announced at this week’s Great Bend City Council meeting.
City Engineer Robert Winiecke announced the first of two planned public input meetings will be set for Jan. 10.
It was originally scheduled for Dec. 20.
At that meeting, Winiecke will provide the public with illustrations that show proposed placement of the stop lights, the changes that will need to be made on Broadway to provide for a left-turn lane for westbound traffic, and another option.
Winiecke said Monday night that he is presenting the information on the proposed round-about again, to find out what the public’s input would be.
However, Councilman Dana Dawson stated that the council has already rejected a round-about and called for the city to install traffic signals at its own cost.
Winiecke reported earlier to the council that the traffic patterns and accidents at that intersection did not, in Kansas Department of Transportation standards, meet the requirements for traffic signals.
The intersection did meet stipulations for a four-way stop sign arrangement, or for a round-about, and the state would assist in funding for a round-about.
Those alternatives had already been dismissed by the city and the council had agreed that it would use city funds to pay for the traffic signals if KDOT was not going to help.
Winiecke also said Monday night that a study of the accidents at this intersection indicated that they majority were side impact wrecks, and he said a traffic signal would not have avoided those.
A time has not been set for the Jan. 10 meeting. Winiecke said it would be announced later.