A traffic study is coming soon to determine whether West Sixth Avenue near downtown Emporia will have any traffic flow changes down the road.
At issue are the flashing signals along Sixth at Congress and Constitution. City Engineer Jim Ubert says a traffic study will start after classes begin, possibly later this month or in early September. The question is simple: whether the current traffic flow merits one or both of the flashing lights to remain in place.
With the lights on US Highway 50, there has been talk that they would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to restore if they are removed and traffic patterns change to warrant their return. Having said that, Ubert says the city would like to improve traffic flow on the west side of downtown, and that may be a benefit if one or both signals are removed.
The light at Sixth and Congress has been flashing for over a decade. It was part of tentative traffic plans for a hotel and convention center at the former Lowther North school building that have now been dropped. The light at Sixth and Constitution has been flashing for several weeks after a lightning strike.
