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No nod for Broadway and Harrison
City will proceed with signals without state involvement
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State officials have determined — again — that there is not sufficient cause for a traffic signal that the Great Bend City Council had previously dedicated to paying for itself.
Now City Engineer Robert Winiecke plans to forward designs for the signal work that is being considered at Broadway and Harrison.
Winiecke was reporting Monday night to the council on the intersection analysis that was prepared by TranSystems through the Kansas Department of Transportation Traffic Engineering Assistance Program.
That study determined that the traffic factors at Broadway and Harrison do not warrant the installation of traffic signals.
What the state study showed was that the site warrants either a four-way stop sign set up, or a round-about feature.
The council approved a recommendation previously that the city would take on the full cost of a traffic signal at this location if the state did not approve its involvement.
Had traffic use showed the work was warranted, the state would have covered a significant portion of the cost.
Winiecke noted that there has been design work at this site before and his office will determine if there is enough up-to-date work to proceed or if more design work is needed.
It was recommended that, as the study proceeds, that the city staff contact home owners in the area, especially to the east of Harrison, to notify them that if the signals are installed, a section of the Broadway island will have to be removed to make room for a turn lane. That will mean that trees will have to be moved and if there are any that are young enough, the owners may want to relocate them.
There was no speculation at the meeting regarding when there would be any change to the intersection.
The KDOT study did approved moving ahead with improvements to 24th and Main, and steps will be taken to work with the state on that project, to make use of the state funding, it was decided.
And the KDOT study ruled that a left-turn lane at 10th and McKinley is not warranted.
In an unrelated issue, it was announced Monday that work on 24th Street will begin later this week.
According to information from the city, “Venture Corporation will work on 24th Street between McKinley and Harrison streets starting Wednesday and going through Oct. 13.  Expect to see lane closures, traffic diversions, rough roads without lane lines, and increased dust during construction.”
The street work will have an impact on residences, too, it was noted.
“If you live in the area be aware that access to driveways along 24th Street should be available during non-work hours, but may be intermittently blocked during work hours depending upon the location of the milling equipment.  
“It is suggested that residents along the project corridor park on their driveways instead of on the street to expedite the construction progress. 
“Door hangers will be distributed to residents instructing them further. “
It is suggested that drivers who don’t live on 24th to “please choose an alternate route during construction.
For more information, contact Winiecke at 793-4111.