The project that began Wednesday on General Sieben Drive south of Hwy 55, was expected to take several days to create and complete a pedestrian median for additional safety in crossing this busy roadway. Assistant City Engineer John Caven , however, shared an accelerated plan that would reopen both lanes by late on Thursday so that normal traffic could resume going north and south. As we reported on Wednesday, many drivers were seen continuing north past Road Closed signage, finding themselves meeting southbound traffic in a single lane.
The issue was rectified, for the most part when a city truck was stationed at the closure sign signaling that it meant what it said. Caven noted that striping and finishing word will need to be done and temporary lane adjustments will be marked at that time. The median was installed following a study of the crossing from the south frontage road to the west where retail establishments are located. A safety flag program was implemented last year, and the median, says Caven, is a step up to providing just 14 feet from curb to median to allow for shorter crossing spans for pedestrians to reach in a two part process. The addition is actually removable, it deemed ill -fitting, but indications suggest that the median will add to pedestrian safety.
