City OKs traffic light
Posted on Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Siloam Springs Board of Directors on Tuesday approved installing a traffic signal at Progress Avenue and Cheri Whitlock Drive.
The city board also approved a $ 205, 532 renovation project for Main Street that will include milling down the old street and placing a fresh layer of asphalt on top.
Traffic Lighting Systems LLC, the sole bidder, was awarded the $ 83, 304 contract to install the traffic signal.
"It looks like a good bid - a good bid," Director Mark Long said.
Another company had submitted a late bid, but it was higher than the bid accepted Tuesday night, according to a memo from Art Farine, director of the electric department.
The signal was not in the original plans for $ 3. 2 million extension of Progress Avenue to Cheri Whitlock Drive.
Bobby Keeton, district 9 permit officer for Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, said the city was given a permit to install the signal April 11.
The highway department based its decision on a traffic study that the city had completed, Keeton said. Numbers in the study were projected traffic counts because Progress Avenue is not completed yet.
The four-lane street is expected to be completed this fall.
Workers are now preparing to install the curb by doing dirt work and grading, said Judy Toler, administrative assistant to the city administrator. Toler has been filling in for City Administrator David Cameron at the city board meetings while he has been on a medical leave of absence.
The Main Street project, from Country Club Road to Maxwell Street, will be completed by APAC.
City Engineer Gary Wilfong said no new sidewalks or guttering will be added for this project.
Judy Nation asked if city staff would look at including new sidewalks and street lighting for a future project.
A new traffic light with left turn signals might be added at Lincoln and Main streets in the future also, Farine said.
Ron Drake, who owns property along Main Street, said he would like the city to do a study on traffic counts to see how many vehicles use the street, and is interested in Main Street lighting closer to the downtown area.
"It kind of gets dark and dingy through there," Director John Turner said.
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