By Gina Long
Reno County has some interesting roads. Despite its reputation as a flat area, the area north of Hutchinson to the county line is hilly, and we do have quite a few roads that curve to avoid natural features such as creeks.
A few of our manmade intersections defy logic. Fourth Ave. and Plum St. turns into a game of automobile chicken when someone doesn’t understand the lane markings.
The crazy double lights westbound at 17th and Main St. are confusing. When the lights turn red and I’m already under the first set, do I stop for the second set? Do I back up? Someone please explain this to me.
The westbound lanes at 11th and Plum St. near the Cosmosphere are confusing for many people unfamiliar with the intersection, and the right-turn-only lane sneaks up fast. The NJCAA Men’s National Basketball Tournament and the state fair bring newcomers to Hutchinson, who invariably wind up trying to go straight through the narrow westbound intersection.
I dread the 30th and K-61 and 23rd and Lorraine intersections because of the number of drivers who hurl themselves at high speed through red lights. I have seen the aftermath of too many avoidable accidents at both.
But the intersection I fear most is Main St. and Highway 50 in So. Hutchinson. The Love’s truck stop, the Kwik Shop, and McDonald’s bring a lot of commerce and thick traffic to the highway on- and off-ramps with obstructed views, primarily due to the highway’s bridge supports. Using the westbound on-ramp involves a short distance, uphill, and along an obstructed curve. Turning south onto Main St. requires X-ray vision and a lot of luck.
I haven’t sought the traffic data to see which Reno County intersection draws the most accidents, so my observations may be inaccurate.
It seems that poorly planned and constructed intersections often require a body count before modifications are made. Traffic control signals would be an excellent start to facilitate safe left turns from both off-ramps.
Traffic signal lights at Love’s would help larger vehicles, such as semi-trailers and recreation vehicles, enter and exit and help motorists turn northbound on Main St.
I hope the City of South Hutchinson and KDOT are working on a solution. The intersection is a vibrant commercial area that generates a lot of revenue, and making it safer should be a priority for upcoming economic development.
