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DOT has no immediate plans for disputed median
The median is just south of First Street. (Rob Morris)
“With the increase in traffic, I have not received significant concerns regarding this issue,” NCDOT district engineer Gretchen Byrum said in an e-mail.
“Further, I don’t want to close any lanes of traffic this time of year on U.S. 158 that will impact traffic or safety of employees.”
She said that even after the tourist season, the NCDOT does not have any definite plans to reconfigure the median.
“If we see a significant problem, we will make plans to revise it,” she concluded.
The median was installed to prevent drivers from making a left-hand turn out of the northern end of the Lowe’s parking lot.
Some say the stacking lane is too short for times when traffic is heavy.
Initial objections to the newly installed median came during an April public forum held at Town Hall. NCDOT officials responded by saying they planned on studying the issue and expected to reconfigure the median in some way.
Concerns centered on the lack of time the median allows for deceleration when making a left turn from the northbound lane onto First Street as well as the lack of stacking room in the turn lane.
A traffic barrier at the northern exit to the parking lot is also aimed at deterring left hand turns.
Lowe’s opened its doors on May 17. The home improvement store is 103,000 square feet with an adjacent garden center.
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KDH Rezident Evil says:
Lowe’s should open a auto body repair wing. It’ll pay for itself by the end of summer.
The intersection needs a dedicated traffic camera so DOT can understand the extent of the “significant problem.” But you probably have to get permission from DOT to put up a camera.
charlie says:
Someone died at the Colington Rd intersection because DOT took away the manual override for police. Is a death at 1st street what they would call a significant problem…and do we have to wait for that? Any jerk can see that the median set up is stupid. Admit your mistake and fix it.
If the designer of the median didn’t see a problem then we need to get a new designer and new head engineer. We DO pay their salaries.
KHer says:
I wonder how long it will take before a tragedy makes him eat his words?
But don’t ask us. We just live here and drive that road every day.
BC says:
I agree that something needs to change. At bare minimum, they should paint the median a high visibility color and/or place reflectors on it. At night, reduced visibility and inclimate weather makes it very hard to see, even though I know its there.
“Charlie”, someone died at Colington Road because a drunk driver decided to plow through the intersection at over 60mph while the light was flashing red. A manual override would not have changed that. The light at that intersection is designed with the exact same functions as all the others on the island, and probably most in the entire State. A light function can not remove obligation from the motoring public. In other words, do not depend on a computer program to think for you or on your behalf.
Jackie Harris says:
Has anyone ever found out who wanted the Island???? Was it Lowes,KDH,State???
obxdad says:
DOT wanted the island from what I’ve read.
G says:
I think it’s interesting that the photo captured two sewage trucks.
OBX Mother says:
Has anyone given an thought on the school bus situation?
No more than one bus can fit in that area. I suggest dong the research on how many buses turn at that light into the neighborhood. The back up this will cause will be horrible and unsafe for our children as well anyone involved.
The Answer says:
The truth behind the median. The Town of KDH says that there will be no more new curb cuts on the bypass. Lowes says they want to have an entrance to their project on the north end of the Meekins property. The citizens argue that that is not allowed. The elected officials say well we are going to say that they are just moving the curb cut from the south end of the property so we are going to let them do it. But just to make it safer we are going to ask for a median and that should make the citizens happy. Now you know the rest of the story.
chaser says:
While we are complaining about the DOT, why is there now a double yellow line all through kitty hawk on the beach road, if someone is going 15 below the speed limit you cant pass them?
hmmm... says:
They don’t want to block a lane of traffic during the summer? So it’s ok to block traffic to put up new light but they actually think about that for a median? DOT has their priorities mixed up.