Bales’ new driveway

Work is underway to construct the new exit driveway for the Bales Thriftway parking lot. The driveway was an important part of the “deal” that will bring us a new stoplight at Dogwood to enable safe turning and crossing at the library entrance. It will also make it a lot easier to go north from the Bales lot.

When the County began to consider the stoplight that was sought by the community, they had to consider the “warrants”—the auto and pedestrian volumes on Saltzman and Dogwood. Installing stoplights without meeting these Federal standards would leave the county liable to legal action. With the new exit, and by limiting the current Saltzman driveway to “right-in, right’out” the warrants were achieved.

The new arrangement should result in safer, smoother traffic flow for cars and a much better situation for pedestrians. A full crosswalk will accompany the stoplight.

Anyone who’s sat in the present driveway, trying to make that left turn to go northbound on Saltzman, will appreciate that things will work better when the new exit lets out onto Dogwood and the stoplight is working.

Installation of the stoplight is expected to occur next spring. Matt Costigan, Project Manager for Washington County, says that the poles are ordered and won’t be delivered until then.

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