Left turns from 12th Avenue onto Graphic Arts Road may become a thing of the past.
On Wednesday, the Emporia City Commission discussed a plan for the intersection that would put a concrete island on 12th Avenue, restricting it to right turns only.
City engineer Keith Beatty said the realignment was intended to head off problems at the intersection.
“Our biggest concern is left-hand turns out of 12th Avenue,” he said. “Our current issues are not major — mostly it’s when school gets out — but we want to plan for the future.”
The plan was the least restrictive of three alternates that Beatty showed the commission. One would have put in a small island at 12th Avenue and a long one on Graphic Arts Road, banning left turns from both streets at the intersection. The other possibility would have made 12th Avenue a dead-end street at Graphic Arts. No one in the room liked that option, including Beatty.
“Twelfth Avenue, in reality, is one of the few streets that goes from one end of Emporia to the other,” Beatty said. “We want to make sure we can continue traffic all the way through town.”
Realignment of the intersection has been discussed more than once because of its unusual layout. Graphic Arts road intersects both 12th Avenue and U.S. Highway 50 in close proximity along with a mostly unused set of railroad tracks. The city plans to remove the tracks but keep the right-of-way.
Of the three plans, Commissioner Jeff Longbine said he best liked the one that allowed left turns from Graphic Arts onto 12th. But barring left turns from 12th Avenue would cause some problems for his car dealership, he said.
“All of the trucks ... unload on 12th and they won’t have a way to get back out,” Longbine said.
In other action, the commission scheduled a pair of goal-setting meetings with City Manager Matt Zimmerman for 6 to 8 p.m. May 2 and 3 to 5 p.m. May 3. The meetings will be at the water treatment plant’s meeting room.
mds (anonymous) says...
Not only would it effect Longbine it would effect may other business that also use that route to reach hwy 50 and/or turnpike, Including companies renting space in the old Diddie buildings and many others along 12th Ave. If it was changed to no left hand turns off of 12th Ave. it would IMO cause more traffic issue in the direction of the schools as there is no easy turn around points for tractor trailers if they are forced to turn North. There needs to be a better study of the intersection then this to find out how it impacts the area business and people of Emporia whom travel this route one a daily basis.
April 25, 2007 at 1:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kl (anonymous) says...
Making 12th a no left turn would be a mistake. It is the most direct way onto the turnpike from a large number of residences in the northwest part of town. It seems to make most sense to not fiddle with the traffic flow if there has not been a major problem with it.
How about taking some of this nervous energy and putting some stop signs up at intersections in neighborhoods were there aren't any? I was almost broadsided at 11th and Neosho. I'm still not sure who had the right of way since there are no traffic signs.
April 25, 2007 at 9:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
photobuggy2 (anonymous) says...
My husband travels that way every day to work out by Flying J, after he takes our son to school. Yeah, it can sometimes be a pain to turn there but I believe there are problems here in Emporia that need more attention first... like getting the pot holes and such repaired!
April 25, 2007 at 11:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Wasp (anonymous) says...
In response to kl:
11th & Neosho is a bad corner. I have seen a lot of close calls there. We were taught in driver's ed. that when 2 vehicles approach an unmarked intersection, the one on the right hand side has the right of way
Regarding 12th & Graphic Arts:
Everytime I have come up to that corner, I wanted to get on Highway 50. If it was turned into a "no left turn corner" it would be a real pain in the rear for me...especially when I am pulling a 40' trailer! It seems to me that the more restrictions that are placed on traffic, the worse it flows. DON'T DO IT!!!!!
April 25, 2007 at 11:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mds (anonymous) says...
Also how much traffic is going to cut across the gas station parking lot to get to hwy 50/turnpike because they can't turn left at the corner?
April 26, 2007 at 5:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slimbolen99 (anonymous) says...
How about putting in a stop sign right before the intersection on the south bound graphic arts road? That way a person could turn left easy without interrupting the flow of traffic too much. I think the major trouble is when school gets out.
April 26, 2007 at 8:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )