NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson City Council is going to put notification out for those coming into Hutchinson from the east to slow down as they enter the 45 mile per hour zone on 30th east of the city next month, as they try to decide what to do with the 30th and Lucille intersection.
"I think of going into Lyons and it usually flashes at me," said council member Jon Richardson. "I'm usually speeding, coming into town, I slow down. I don't see why we need to wait on that part of the solution, if that's part of the solution either way on slowing traffic down."
Jeff Schenk with engineering said he'd have additional reminders up starting October 6.
"They have the signals out somewhere right now, then they're going to the Rod Run," Schenk said. "Right after the Rod Run, I believe it's October 6, they'll be going out to 30th. At that time, we'll run a two-week speed study, simultaneous with those signs up. After that, we'll take them down and wait two weeks and then run another two week study just to see what happens, again, without them. Just to see if the education, just realizing, never really paying attention, when you just zoom into town every day and get a little bit closer, never letting off the gas pedal, then, it's like, oh yeah, it's right there, and just the education is enough, because then, two weeks later, if they are still maintaining that narrower speed gap, then it shows that hey, just reminding them that this is where the speed limit is enough. If that doesn't work, then you'd probably want a permanent sign with a flasher."
The hope is that getting a more constant and lower speed through the area will allow bus drivers and parents and students to judge the space to pull out if they need to make the left at 30th and Lucille during school drop off and pick up hours.