Dear Mahatma: I looked at the ArDot video on the Interstate 430/Cantrell Road construction. Why add a stoplight just west of the interstate bridge? This seems to be where all the new congestion will be. Thanks for your thoughts. -- Bob
Dear Bob: Deric Wyatt, chief engineer for District 6 of the Arkansas Department of Transportation, was deputized to do our thinking on this.
He sends an answer and a rendering.
Traffic exiting I-430 from Conway onto Arkansas 10 West will have its own lane. It will go over Rodney Parham Road when construction is complete. The new interchange, then, will be two levels and the traffic signal for Rodney Parham will be underneath the new interchange.
Now the rendering, sent by Wyatt via email. It's an aerial view. Traffic directions are designated with colored lines -- five or six different colors. Only a traffic engineer can understand these things. Our plan is to wait until the project is done, then drive though it a few times. Here's hoping the signage is clear.
Dear Mahatma: Ever since the city installed a stop sign at the corner of North Pierce Street and Kavanaugh Boulevard, Stonewall Road between North University Avenue and North Pierce has become a high-traffic speedway for a residential street. Many drivers headed south on North University who used to go to the stoplight at Kavanaugh to make a left turn, now turn left on Stonewall Road to avoid the stoplight. People driving these vehicles often drive dangerously fast to North Pierce to take a right to the Kavanaugh stop sign. Speed bumps need to be put here. What can be done to get this dangerous situation to the right ear? -- Dodging Speeders!
Dear Dodger: You have taken the right first step. We put the bug into the ear of Bill Henry, the city's chief traffic engineer. He says a couple of things: First, that he hasn't received any feedback or complaints specific to North Pierce traffic. Second, traffic signal lengths at University and Kavanaugh have been shortened to reduce wait times. This change, he says, is working well.
Now to the matter of speeders. Call the Little Rock Police Department and ask for enforcement. Understand this is a temporary fix.
Now to speed bumps. The city's website has information on how to request a speed bump. The process requires a traffic study, and a petition of property owners on that street, 75 percent of whom must sign on.
There are more requirements. Suffice to say, speed bumps are placed deliberately.
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Now to something that boggles the mind.
We missed our anniversary. April 7 marked 15 years this fine newspaper has allowed this stuff to be printed. We are not making this up, as Dave Barry used to say -- 2007.
Vanity plate: NTROVRT
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