Two road construction projects within a mile of Emporia High School have student and parent drivers sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic after school.
At 3:20 p.m. Thursday — a half hour after school dismissed — the line of vehicles on 18th Avenue headed to Industrial Road stretched nearly a mile. The problem in that direction is caused by construction on Industrial Road, which is reduced to one lane headed south over Interstate 35.
Thanks to a bridge replacement project on Graphic Arts Road, traffic can only head west on 18th Avenue to Americus Road or north on Graphic Arts and around. On Friday, heading north on Graphic Arts then east on 24th Avenue didn’t help much as drivers still headed south on Industrial and backed up in a single line in front of the Wal-Mart store.
After less than a week of classes, students and parents say they’re tired of it.
Rosa Murillo, a freshman at Emporia High School, was in line around 2:40 p.m. Thursday waiting for school to get out. Many people picking students up have found that the earlier you show up the better chance you will have of avoiding the half-hour delay on two lanes of traffic.
“I get here early and stay late,” she said.
Murillo said she didn’t have a solution to the problem. She knows that traffic is the same every year, but this year the problem is worsened by road construction.
Amanda Johnson, who attends Emporia State University, was at Emporia High School to pick up her sister, Emily Johnson, a senior.
“I think it’ll be good when (construction) is done,” Amanda Johnson said.
“It’s very stupid that they have to do construction when school is starting,” Emily Johnson added. “They need to do most of the construction during the summer before school starts.”
Principal Scott Sheldon said the Graphic Arts bridge closure, likely to remain under construction through much of the school year, is the main culprit.
“Some of us were here several years ago when 18th street was adjusted so we’ve been through it before and survived,” Sheldon said. “Parents and students will need to make adjustments and look for alternate routes.”
Some relief may come in November when Industrial Road is scheduled to re-open.
Keith Mease, a senior at Emporia High, said he takes a longer way home to avoid the snags.
“Traffic is horrible,” Mease said. “People usually just wait but traffic is bad.”
Mease said his seven to 10 minute drive home now takes him more than 20 minutes.
“They shouldn’t have done the bridge,” he said. “Then the buses won’t crowd up the street. Maybe they (should) make a new road out of here.”
Cory Obermeyer and Matt Fry, both sophomores at Emporia High, were sitting in a car waiting on the driver to inch forward.
“Just how long it takes to get out of here sucks,” Obermeyer said.
Fry said there are too many construction projects at once.
“They should have (planned) it so that there wasn’t so much of a hold-up,” he said.
MakesYouGoHm (anonymous) says...
Who made the decision to have so many projects going on at the same time? For people living by the high school, middle school, or Timmerman schools it's a NIGHTMARE getting children to/from school and to/from home. Drivers are starting to fly through residential areas putting children and adults at risk.
It's a nightmare when crossing the overpass between Burger King and McDonald's. Semi's pull out in front of cars crossing the bridge. It's confusing enough for people that drive the roads daily -- can you imagine how confusing it is for people passing through.
Most communities would complete one major project before tackling another one.
August 20, 2007 at 2:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vankamp (anonymous) says...
I agree MakesYouGoHm. It doesn't take much sense to know you don't start that many projects at the same time, that effect the same place. I pulled into Wal-Mart's parking lot at 7:30am the other day and was met by 3 cars of High School kids cutting through the parking lot, way to fast, to get to the back of Wal-Mart and come out on 24th. If I hadn't been payng really good attention they would have broadsided me. Yes it pays to be patient, but teens are indestructable and someone is going to get hit if they don't start pulling people over and ticketing them.
August 20, 2007 at 4:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
Get used to it and quit whining. Ever heard of car pool?
August 20, 2007 at 4:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
vankamp (anonymous) says...
How is a car pooling going to help people from getting hit in neighborhoods and Wal-Mart's parking lot?
August 20, 2007 at 4:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
techie (anonymous) says...
It is just as bad in the morning, I waited for almost twenty minutes to turn onto Graphic arts from 18th. It is going to be a long few months
August 20, 2007 at 6:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dhcc66 (anonymous) says...
thank your city commission for these fine projects being scheduled all at once. i think the engineers office could also be contacted as to why they didn't plan for traffic congestion a little better.
as for the car pooling admireed, try going out there when school is starting or letting out. there are at least 3 or 4 kids per car normally. more of the problem seems to be all of the parents who absolutely have to pick up their kids from the middle school instead of letting them ride a bus home. thats on top of horrible planning by our fair city
August 20, 2007 at 6:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
abc123 (anonymous) says...
Wah wah really, ok here we go, I just couldn't resist this one!
#! 1 there are other stores you can shop in besides Wal-Mart, I have a family of 6 and can't remember the last time I was there, oh the money I have saved too! No pesky run down in the parking lot either.
#2 Those high school drivers need to slow down anyways, have you seen the way some of them drove before construction??? Yeah I know we are talking about commuters..
#3 No Pain No Gain, if we don't change then things stay the same, why don't you go drive through rush hour in a real city like KC, or OKC or Dallas/Ft. Worth when it is bumper to bumper!! Then you have something to complain about!
#4 HOWEVER, if I lived in those neighborhoods I would complain and complain until they sat an officer there in a patrol car to get his quota on tickets :)
Thanks! I feel better!
August 20, 2007 at 9:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
emporian (anonymous) says...
Here is a novel idea...try walking or riding a bike to work. Emporia isnt so big that you cant get town in 15 minutes and it would give you a great workout.
August 20, 2007 at 11:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dhcc66 (anonymous) says...
hey abc....be careful for that officer you wish for, he might just get you. there is one normally around 24th and graphic arts or 24th and industrial. he sits there about the time my daughter goes by on the BUS to school in the morning.
hey, what a novel idea....and a gas saving one at that...why not have the kids take the BUS to school as is offered. would save a lot of gas and a lot of traffic problems.
August 21, 2007 at 9:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MakesYouGoHm (anonymous) says...
It would make a lot more sense to complete one project before starting two or three consecutive projects.
The real concern is putting innocent lives at risk due to the increased traffic and individuals trying to find shortcuts. How safe is it to put your children or yourself on bikes when people are driving way too fast down residential streets?
And yes, there are other places to shop, but we still have to manage to get out of the Northwest area to get to those shops.
August 21, 2007 at 10:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )