Mysterious paved strip just barrier
Dear Mahatma: What is the purpose of the sidewalk-sized pavement additions in the median of Interstate 530 in Pine Bluff? - Interested
Dear All-Seeking Transportation Wizard: They’re putting in sidewalks along I-530 in Pine Bluff. It seems strange to have pedestrian traffic along an interstate, and these slabs are banked at a tilt that would be challenging for bikers and walkers. They stop at bridges and overpasses, then pick up again.
- Puzzled Pilgrim
Dear Readers: A number of such questions have poured in over the past couple of weeks.
What drivers are seeing is the concrete footing for cable median barriers.
The barriers are safety devices to prevent head-on collisions, which account for about 60 percent of deaths on state highways.
The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department has plans to install 400 miles of such barriers all over the state by 2017. About 50 miles already have been installed.
Miles of work are now being done on Interstate 540 in Northwest Arkansas;
parts of Interstate 40 from Fort Smith to near Conway, and parts from Little Rock to roughly Wheatley; Interstate 30 from Arkadelphia to past Malvern; and parts of Interstate 530 from Little Rock to Pine Bluff, as noted by our two correspondents.
Barriers also are planned or under construction on Interstate 55 in northeast Arkansas. They are planned for U.S. 82 near El Dorado, U.S. 65 near Harrison, U.S.
63 near Jonesboro and U.S.
67 from near Jacksonville to around Bald Knob.
Traffic Counselor: I’m concerned about increased traffic at John Barrow Road and Riley Drive. Many of us - some senior citizens - turn left from John Barrow onto Riley. I understand there was a left-turn signal light, but not anymore. We really need one now.
Please give this request to the traffic department.
- Senior Citizen
Dear Young Person: As you wish. City traffic guys say they are in the process of counting turn movements on major arterial roads, something that hasn’t been done in a few years. They promise to look at this particular intersection to determine if there are enough left turns to justify a left-turn signal.
What is enough? Sixty an hour.
Dear Mahatma: When traveling westbound on Evergreen and turning north into the outside lane of University Avenue, that lane is separated from the center and inside lanes by a solid white line. It goes for a couple of hundred yards before becoming a right-turn-only lane into the ProspectBuilding entry. How is someone supposed to legally make that turn?
- Another Curious Reader
Dear Reader: Bill Henry, the city’s traffic engineering manager, says a single white line suggests to drivers they stay in that lane. You may cross a solid white line, but must do so safely. A driver may not cross a double white line, he said.
Vanity plate seen on a Ford Explorer: QUESERA.
Arkansas, Pages 9 on 07/06/2013