Lima Road will eventually have another traffic signal – but some residents and the state believe it is necessary for safety.
Q. There are multiple accidents occurring at Lima and Hathaway. We need a light put in there. It is too hard to judge the people coming southbound when trying to cross Lima. – Cheri
A. Your plea for help will not go unheard, Cheri.
In fact, you were not alone in asking me for this change, as several readers believe a signal is needed to improve safety.
Dana Plattner, district traffic engineer for the Indiana Department of Transportation, said Road Sage readers are right. The state completed a traffic study at this intersection in February that determined a signal should be installed.
The state is finalizing money for the project and starting its development. Plattner said he hopes a new signal would be installed in the spring or summer of next year.
Q. Are there plans to add a right-turn lane on Maysville Road where it connects with North River Road? During heavy traffic this can back up when you have people making left turns onto North River. – Richard
A. Unfortunately, Richard, there are no plans for such an addition now, but that doesn’t mean it will never happen.
Shan Gunawardena, city traffic engineer, said there are no immediate plans to make improvements at this intersection. When the Maplecrest Road extension is complete, however, the city expects changes to traffic patterns in the area, and this intersection could be affected.
The city will evaluate all routes in the area for improvements after the extension is finished – which is scheduled for the fall of 2012. I know from my own experience that this area can become congested, so I hope something is done in the future.
Ramp work to start
The state will begin work in the next month to add an additional lane to the Interstate 69 southbound ramp from Dupont Road. Brooks Construction won the contract for $86,228 and is scheduled to begin prep work on the site June 8. The project is expected to take about two weeks to complete with pavement markings being installed by June 21 – weather permitting.
The state will maintain traffic on the ramp during construction with drivers shifted over to provide room for the contractor to work. The ramp is the first – and smallest – of three projects to alleviate congestion in the area. The state also plans to add an interchange at Union Chapel Road starting next year and to completely reconfigure the Dupont interchange after the Union Chapel work.
Radio Sage
This week’s bonus audio question comes from J. Holloway, who asks about the rest stops on U.S. 30 past Arcola. The segment originally aired Friday afternoon on WOWO and can be found online at www.journalgazette.net/roadsage.
