Crash numbers at Marion intersection pile up

Crash numbers at Marion intersection pile up

news@theeveningtimes.com

While crashes at the intersection of College Boulevard and South Service Road dominated discussions at the last meeting of the West Memphis Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting, concerns about accidents at the intersections at Military Road around Interstate 55 have dominated talk in Text the Times.

The MPO was concerned about the seriousness of crashes north of the college because of the speed and weight of trucks and the limited sight line caused by the crown on the overpass in West Memphis. A discussion about state funding for a traffic signal at the highway corner followed.

Regarding the underpass in Marion, Study Director Eddie Brawley noted the problem of “funneling” traffic under I-55. The East bound intersection ranked number one on the most recent MPO crash statistics while going west ranked number five in the county.

Brawley offered four specific remedies during a May 24 interview.

1) Put the traffic signals on posts so the signal immediately in front of the driver is lower and seen ahead of the signal on the other side of the Interstate.

2) Place eye level signs with diagrams of upcoming lane options to reduce hasty, last second lane change decisions filled with blind spots.

3) Change the service roads in the vicinity to one way.

4) Build the Polk Avenue overpass on the long range plan to reduce congestion at the Military Road corner allowing motorists a second option when traveling across the city east and westbound.

“We are funneling too much traffic there,” said Brawley. “Those service

MPO looking for options to curb accidents roads need to be one-way. But a lot of improvements need to be made to make that happen. Either side is too far to go all the way south to the railroad track to turn around. That’s why we called for the overpass on L. H. Polk on our long range plan, and is going to cost a lot of money.”

By John Rech