The Arizona Department of Transportation has hit the brakes, denying a formal Mojave County request to remove traffic lights installed on Route 93 near the community of White Hills north of Kingman.
The Board of Supervisors has instructed county staff to pass on the request and related correspondence prepared by County Manager Sam Elters and Public Works Director Steve Latsky to ADOT Director Jennifer Toth in mid-March. . Both communications reflect his BOS concerns that stopping traffic in rural areas is dangerous and conflicts with his goal to upgrade US 93 for Interstate 11 designation.
“The functional classification of US 93 requires conditions of continuous uninterrupted traffic flow that traffic lights disable,” Latoski’s letter states.
In her March 24 reply, ADOT’s Toth noted that the highway has not yet transitioned to interstate status.
“U.S. Route 93, between Kingman and the Nevada border, is currently being designed as a regionally divided highway with a Rural Major Arterial-Other Federal Function classification,” Toth said. . “This means that US 93 does not act as a fast, uninterrupted highway, as multiple uncontrolled access locations along the entire passage he connects to US 93.”
The Latsky memorandum argued that drivers driving between Kingman and Las Vegas did not expect traffic lights and could be surprised when they stumble upon traffic lights purchased by Last Stop Grand Canyon Adventure Enterprises. . Center of Bonanza Drive.
“Here the driver runs 27 miles from the Nevada state line and 43 miles from Kingman uninterrupted before encountering a signal and a possible STOP control,” Latoski notes. “This phenomenon can cause a rear-end collision (at high speed) on the approach to a US 93 traffic light. could cause a serious right-angle collision at the intersection.”
Toth said approval of construction and development along the ongoing corridor will require traffic controls to enhance public safety in the face of threats of collisions by motorists exiting U.S. 93. claim.
“Developments and access along the US 93 segment have increased conflict points and crashes,” her letter said. It’s a good interim solution that addresses both mobility and mobility.”
ADOT said it could not support the county’s request to withdraw the signal, but Toth said long-term alternatives could include flyover interchanges with local agency collection roads and/or frontage systems. said that there is
“ADOT looks forward to working with Mojave County to advance the short-term and long-term improvements to this segment of US 93,” said the letter signed by Toth. “Access will continue to be an issue until alternative options are implemented.”
BOS directed staff to engage ADOT on March 6, but Toth said in her letter that Mojave County staff and its planning and zoning division navigated the permit arena four years ago. He said he was fully aware of the traffic light project when he started.
