Amanda Friar
rapidcityjournal.com
The South Dakota Department of Transportation presented their plan for traffic control during the upcoming Sturgis Motorcycle Rally to the city council on Tuesday. The plan, which is the combination of multiple ideas they had to alleviate traffic congestion, will hopefully alleviate traffic heading eastbound with the creation of a third lane of traffic.
Doug Kinniburgh, the area traffic engineer with the DOT, proposed that they turn the middle left turning lane on Lazelle Street into a third eastbound through lane from 8th Street to Nelly Street.
According to Kinniburgh, there is heavy westbound traffic flow for about two hours in the morning, but for the rest of the day, there is heavy eastbound traffic and this will help alleviate some of the congestion.
“Felt that the three lanes eastbound and two lanes westbound would provide quite a bit of benefit,” Kinniburgh said.
If this plan works well, the DOT plans to put the markings out permanently during their resurfacing project on Lazelle Street next year. For this year, however, signage will be constructed and posts will be placed in the ground separating the westbound and eastbound traffic to avoid confusion.
Kinniburgh said they plan to encourage trucks and RVs to use the middle lane of traffic so that people are able to turn either right or left without being slowed down by them.
Multiple council members and Police Chief Jim Bush had concerns with the plan and the impact it would have on emergency vehicles trying to get through intersections.
“With three lanes on Lazelle it’s still going to cause us problems with emergency vehicles going east,” Bush said. “Granted they can run it at the light but what happens between 6th Street and the light when it’s three lanes packed? I can foresee emergency vehicles trying to impose out into the head on traffic lane which is not a good thing. Who knows maybe the traffic will move fast enough to where we won’t have that issue I don’t know.”
The DOT will be personally on hand to monitor the traffic flow and Kinniburgh said that if the plan does not work they will be willing to change the flow of traffic if it was completely necessary. Kinniburgh assured the council that he will be in constant communication with Bush throughout the rally in order to ensure that any problems that come up will be fixed immediately.
In addition to the new traffic plan, motorists can plan to see flashing four way stop lights suspended in the air rather than the four-way stop signs in the middle of the intersections.
“It’s probably a never ending struggle to find what’s best with our situation,” Mayor Mark Carstensen said. “Last year was in my opinion a very efficient way to run through the rally but who knows maybe this will be better.”
Preliminary preparations for the new rally traffic plan are set to begin around July 18.
Doug Kinniburgh, the area traffic engineer with the DOT, proposed that they turn the middle left turning lane on Lazelle Street into a third eastbound through lane from 8th Street to Nelly Street.
According to Kinniburgh, there is heavy westbound traffic flow for about two hours in the morning, but for the rest of the day, there is heavy eastbound traffic and this will help alleviate some of the congestion.
“Felt that the three lanes eastbound and two lanes westbound would provide quite a bit of benefit,” Kinniburgh said.
If this plan works well, the DOT plans to put the markings out permanently during their resurfacing project on Lazelle Street next year. For this year, however, signage will be constructed and posts will be placed in the ground separating the westbound and eastbound traffic to avoid confusion.
Kinniburgh said they plan to encourage trucks and RVs to use the middle lane of traffic so that people are able to turn either right or left without being slowed down by them.
Multiple council members and Police Chief Jim Bush had concerns with the plan and the impact it would have on emergency vehicles trying to get through intersections.
“With three lanes on Lazelle it’s still going to cause us problems with emergency vehicles going east,” Bush said. “Granted they can run it at the light but what happens between 6th Street and the light when it’s three lanes packed? I can foresee emergency vehicles trying to impose out into the head on traffic lane which is not a good thing. Who knows maybe the traffic will move fast enough to where we won’t have that issue I don’t know.”
The DOT will be personally on hand to monitor the traffic flow and Kinniburgh said that if the plan does not work they will be willing to change the flow of traffic if it was completely necessary. Kinniburgh assured the council that he will be in constant communication with Bush throughout the rally in order to ensure that any problems that come up will be fixed immediately.
In addition to the new traffic plan, motorists can plan to see flashing four way stop lights suspended in the air rather than the four-way stop signs in the middle of the intersections.
“It’s probably a never ending struggle to find what’s best with our situation,” Mayor Mark Carstensen said. “Last year was in my opinion a very efficient way to run through the rally but who knows maybe this will be better.”
Preliminary preparations for the new rally traffic plan are set to begin around July 18.
Read more: http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/meadecountytimes/article_53a2c4c0-a77d-11e0-9721-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1RNf3VeFc
