By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Three residents addressed the Hays city commission Tuesday night during a special meeting about changing the lane configuration on Canterbury Drive.

After recent diamond grinding to smooth the pavement, the section between 13th and 22nd Streets was scheduled to be restriped May 7 from four lanes to three lanes.

Although the “road diet” was approved late last year as part of the 2018 Street Maintenance program, commissioners just recently have received comments from some residents opposing the change.

The trio speaking up last night were split in their opinions.

Connie Mermis, who lives on 13th Street which was changed to three lanes, complained about traffic backup at certain times of day. “I’m not an advocate,” she told the commission.

A driver for the public transportation ACCESS van, Matt Tottle, favored three lanes. “You have four lanes of traffic to watch trying to make a left turn onto Canterbury and they’re going different speeds. It’s really hard to judge a gap in the traffic.” Making a left turn off Canterbury, Tottle said he’s seen drivers “stop dead in the street without a turn signal and people coming up behind them will just veer out into the next lane and cut somebody else off.” He suggested 27th Street traffic would also benefit if reconfigured to three lanes.

The third person to speak, Ben Tillman, said most of his questions had already been answered by the brief presentation given by Hays Projects Director John Braun but still wanted to know if the three lane striping was being done to accommodate new bike lanes. Commissioners quickly assured Tillman bike lanes had nothing to do with the project.

“There are both pros and cons to lane reductions,” Braun reiterated. “The advantages include a protected left turn lane, reduced speed, and according to the Federal Highway Administration, fewer traffic accidents.”

According to the Hays Police Department, there are an average 15 crashes a year on Canterbury. Traffic volume is about 7,500 vehicles a day.

Braun also outlined the disadvantages including one through traffic lane instead of two and the potential for vehicle stacking at signal lights.

Commissioners voted 3-2 to amend the current contract, which means when Canterbury is restriped, it will remain four lanes.

Commissioner Shaun Musil has opposed the change to three lanes since the beginning, citing his concern about “school traffic” at 13th and Canterbury and that he doesn’t believe there would be any significant advantage to the lane reduction. “Apparently, traffic will be safer if we do it, but I just don’t see a huge gain,” Musil said prior to the vote.

Vice-Mayor Henry Schwaller and Commissioner Chris Dinkel opposed the change.

“I think this stretch of road is one that would benefit from the change because of the amount of left turn traffic,” Dinkel said. “Maybe the area by Midwest Energy would have fewer left turns because that’s a residential area. But I see slowing down the traffic and reducing the aggressive driving near the hospital, medical clinics and retirement homes as a very beneficial feature of this.”

“Just because there’s not a glaringly broken issue, doesn’t mean we can’t make it better,” added Dinkel.

Dinkel and Musil were the only two commissioners to comment.

After the meeting, Commissioner Sandy Jacobs said “all the commissioners received 14 emails today in opposition to the change and we had 6 to 8 before that. I also had about 8 phone calls, all against it. Several people I talked to in person who were opposed are employees of HaysMed.”

“I’m delighted that we had this much input from residents. That’s what needs to happen on any issue,” Jacobs added.

There shouldn’t be any financial penalty to the city for making the contract amendment, according to Assistant City Manager Jacob Wood.

“We don’t think there’ll be any issue with that,” Wood said Wednesday morning. “It actually should be a little bit cheaper because with the four-lane configuration there’ll be less striping, less turn arrows and that sort of thing.”

The contractor is still scheduled to begin the restriping Mon., May 7.