Secretary of Transportation speaks to Kiwanians
A staple of European highways may become the answer to a tragic highway problem in Marion County.
Roundabouts, a form of traffic circle, have been common around the world, especially in Europe, for years.
They control the flow of traffic without causing motorists to stop.
Secretary of Transportation Deb Miller told Marion Kiwanians at noon Monday that such a solution is being proposed for the U.S.-50/77 deadly dangerous junction at Florence.
As Miller spoke, Jeff Cady sat in the first seat next to her podium. His daughter, Alison, died in a tragic accident at the junction this summer. It was a poignant moment, making it even more important to both Miller and club members.
Miller said a public meeting will be held Oct. 7 on the matter. Time and place will be announced later.
Since the last fatal accident, in which Cady's daughter was one of two girls to perish, four-way stop signs have been installed.
She said truckers favor roundabouts over four-way stops. They fear having an inattentive motorist plow into the rear of their rig.
Miller said roundabouts are much less costly than overpasses or interchanges which can cost more than $8 million.
Roundabouts also require less land. At Florence, she noted, most of the land is already owned by KDOT.
Asked if the roundabout solution is also the answer to a serious problem at the K-150/U.S.56-77 junction northeast of Marion, Miller said funds are not available at this time. "Eventually," she told the Kiwanians.
Miller, an honors graduate of Kansas State University in sociology, grew up at Pratt. She is the first woman to become Secretary of Transportation. The department, which she heads, has 3,200 employees.
