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Gurley looking to get safer grip on its U.S. 72 traffic

Wanting to address today's problems and avoid future ones, Gurley has teamed with the Alabama Department of Transportation to hire an engineering firm to propose a plan to better manage traffic on U.S. 72.

The DOT will host a public meeting on May 21 for the firm, Sain Associates Inc., to present the plans to the public. The meeting at First Baptist Church of Gurley at 175 Joplin St. will be from 5 to 7 p.m.

Residents and other interested parties are encouraged to attend to give their views and comments on the proposed plans. Officials with Sain and the DOT will be present to answer questions. Plans and exhibits will be on display.

Gurley Mayor Stan Simpson said Sain Associates in February began studying the traffic flow on U.S. 72 inside the town limits.

"What we wanted with the study was to determine, with the state, what need we have in the short term and long term that we should be considering for the future," Simpson said.

The firm performed traffic counts and studied how the design of U.S. 72 meshes with the entrances and exits of businesses and side streets.

A main question officials wanted answered by the study was: "What can we do to make our roads safer?" Simpson said.

The study found that there have been more than 40 wrecks on U.S. 72 inside the town limits - a stretch almost four miles long - from 2005 until November, Simpson said.

"I think the state was surprised at how many accidents we actually have on 72," Simpson said.

Simpson said that during his 41/2 years as mayor, there has been a fatal wreck at each intersection of U.S. 72 and Little Cove Road, Keel Mountain Road and Rock Cut Road.

The plans to be presented at the meeting will recommend U.S. 72 traffic signals at Little Cove and Keel Mountain roads, Simpson said.

The study will also recommend turning Little Cove Road to move the intersection with U.S. 72, Simpson said.

Little Cove Road will be turned onto a proposed commercial development of 110 acres, the owner of which has agreed to deed the town the right of way needed to move the road, Simpson said.

Another major change recommended by the engineering firm will be to remove or combine access points to U.S. 72 for some businesses, move or close some median crossings, build longer deceleration and acceleration lanes in certain spots, and build service roads in some areas, Simpson said. Simpson said there are 25 businesses along U.S. 72 in Gurley and that some access points are "redundant."

Simpson and Johnny Harris, the Division 1 engineer for the DOT, said no agreement has been reached about how to pay for the changes recommended by Sain.

Simpson said some work may be state projects, some may be Gurley projects, and some may be projects that the town and state do together.

To leave a comment or question about traffic or roads, contact Keith Clines at 532-4236, e-mail keith.clines@htimes.com or fax 532-4420. Please include your name, address and a way you can be contacted.