At a Jan. 5 work session, Red Bank officials discussed the placement of several traffic-calming islands, one of which they hope will help to eliminate a traffic issue occurring on Morrison Springs Road.
The islands are part of a project approved last year by the commission that will be funded through a grant from the federal Transportation Improvement Program. Wiser Engineering has completed the initial design phase, and in addition to their recommendations, City Manager Randall Smith requested another island be added on Morrison Springs Road next to Food City, which he said should help resolve traffic issues there.
“We get constant complaints from drivers that they can’t turn into Food City,” he said, speaking mainly of drivers heading west (in the direction of Highway 27) on Morrison Springs who are attempting to turn left into the supermarket complex’s parking lot.
Commissioner Terry Pope said he feels that people driving west on Morrison Springs should not have the option to turn left into that lot.
In response to Commissioner Rick Causer’s question of how many accidents have occurred recently in that location, Police Chief Tim Christol said he could not give an exact figure but recalled at least five. He answered in the affirmative when asked if he considers that area to be dangerous.
All commissioners aside from Causer agreed to proceed with the plans for the island on Morrison Springs across from Cumberland Presbyterian Church as well as several others on Dayton Boulevard included in the project: one from the location of Food City’s retention pond to City Park, another just south of Unaka Avenue and one south of Meadowbrook Drive.
“They’re positioned at locations where there’s no traffic signal to provide a safe haven to cross Dayton Boulevard,” said Smith.
Each will feature an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant walkway, with the center portion – the width of the turning lane – surrounded by vegetation. Smith said the walkway is slightly elevated, but not comparable to a speed bump.
Officials are now going through the process of making sure the project meets the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. Construction of the islands is still about a year and a half away, Smith said.
Email Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com.