Dear Getter of Answers: Last political cycle I saw an ArDot truck driving down Arkansas 10 collecting political signs weeks before the election -- I assume a right-of-way violation. What is the minimum setback for signs along state highways? -- Curious on Cantrell
Dear Curious: Tempus fugit. That is, time flies. This was one of only two Latin phrases we remember from studying the language for three years in high school. The other was picus nicus, which roughly translates to picnic.
Time flies so fast that early voting for the preferential primaries begins May 9; the primaries are May 24. Also the nonpartisan general election, for judges and justices and such.
The Arkansas Department of Transportation reminds us not to place signs in its right of way. Two reasons:
First, they may obstruct visibility. Second, if a vehicle leaves the roadway, it might run over a sign, adding insult to injury.
A rule of thumb is to look for utility lines or poles along a roadway. Place a sign behind the line or pole, and it should be out of the right of way. Signs collected by ArDot crews can be recovered during normal business hours at area maintenance offices.
Dear Mahatma: Will the city install a flashing yellow left-turn arrow at the intersection of northbound Chenal Parkway and St. Vincent Way? Originally the city stated (per your column) that visibility to southbound Chenal Parkway traffic was the issue. The intersection has been modified so now there are two left-turn lanes from southbound Chenal to Arkansas Systems Drive. This change seems to have addressed the previous visibility issue. -- Lefty
Dear Lefty: Your quoting of this column makes us think of Ron Ziegler and Charles Barkley, two wildly different characters.
Ziegler was press secretary for President Richard Nixon. Let us truncate Ziegler's most infamous quote, uttered while evading the White House press corps: "(T)hat is the operative statement. The others are inoperative."
Barkley, after several scandalous quotes were published in his autobiography, said he was misquoted. It takes supreme confidence for a fellow to accuse himself of misquoting himself.
Bottom line, Lefty, is that whatever has been written in this space is subject to further review and/or plausible deniability.
Now to the question, the answer to which comes from Bill Henry, the city of Little Rock's traffic engineering manager. First, a reminder that a flashing yellow arrow allows a turn, but the driver must yield to oncoming traffic.
Henry said flashing yellow arrows won't be installed in the northbound lane because of insufficient sight distance when there are are vehicles in the opposing dual left-turn lanes. He also said northbound left turns are run twice a cycle to address heavy left-turn movement.
Vanity plate on a Grand Cherokee: LV2SHOP
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