15th and Iowa- trouble corner
Fifteenth and Iowa Streets, a main outlet from the Daisy Hill complex, has more traffic volume and more problems than any other intersection near KU.
THE SINGLE MAJOR exit for the some 1,200 cars registered in the residence hall area, the corner's traffic in the future will probably double with planned developments—yet, no concrete controls are planned at this date.
The two injury accidents there last month rate this intersection next to the top of all injury-plagued corners in the entire city.
The Meadowbrook development on the west side of this corner is to have 3-4,000 homes built in the near future. The University is currently building in the area and there is a private dormitory to be constructed only a block from this site.
Even with the current accident and traffic rates increasing, city officials see no traffic control measures for at least 12 or 18 months.
"WE REALIZE something must be done. This is apparent every day," said Kenneth Thompson, assistant city manager and city planner. "It will probably be 12 to 18 months before something is done."
The latest traffic count for Iowa Street, taken late last fall, showed 10,345 cars daily. This is nearly as much as the count of 12,700 cars on Sixth Street where a traffic light was recently installed at the corner of Maine Street. The traffic count of 3,200 on 15th Street definitely exceeds the count on Maine, a comparative intersection.
It is this traffic volume on 15th—consisting primarily of students during the late afternoon and on weekends—which causes the most confusion, not to mention accidents.
A VARIETY OF CURES seem to be the
answer, according to student motorists on Daisy Hill, primary users of the corner.
"It is impossible to make a left-hand turn at that corner," said Bob Sutton, Junction City sophomore. "I think an activated traffic light at the corner would relieve the congestion on 15th."
"Another exit onto Iowa from Engel Read would probably help," said Carol Meigh, Topeka junior.
"An overpass or cloverleaf would eliminate the problem with left-hand turns and still not affect Iowa St. traffic," said Jan Gates, Prairie Village junior.
ELIMINATING LEFT TURNS is the solution to the whole problem," said John McGee, Independence junior.
According to William Troelstrup, Lawrence chief of police, the intersection is one of several corners under constant study. "Figures point out that nearly every accident at that corner and at 19th and Iowa, a block south, have been rear-end collisions."
"This is now our biggest problem since we have added the light at Sixth and Maine," said Ernest Pulliam, Lawrence mayor.
"I have spent 20 minutes there myself trying to make a left turn. I have tried to make this corner one of my pet projects. Now with the current student interest I will plan to bring this matter before the city commission."
KU POLICE chief, E. P. Moomau, agrees that the intersection is a definite problem, but adds, "Students from Daisy Hill are learning to use Naismith Drive as their access to the city."
Installation of any type of control at this intersection must be with joint cooperation between the State Highway Commission and the city of Lawrence.
Virgil Holdredge, city traffic engineer, said that as a first step in the procedure to get controls at this corner, a letter has been written requesting the highway department to make a study of the area.
Upon the completion of both city and state studies, recommendations and final approval is made by the state, although the cost is assessed to the city of Lawrence.
Therefore, the determining factor concerning a date of installation of some type of traffic controls to relieve the present pressures at the intersection is the speed with which studies are made and completed and funds appropriated by the city to finance the project.
TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC, AND MORE TRAFFIC— This picture was taken at 15th and Iowa streets during a weekday mid-afternoon. Shown here are several cars trying to enter the fast moving
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stream of traffic on Iowa Street from veth. This is a constant problem for Daisy Hill motorists and all others who leave Mount Oread on the west side of campus.
ANOTHER VICTIM—An attendant for Citizen's Ambulance places accident victim onto a litter in preparation for the trip to Memorial Hospital. He was injured when the car which he was driving struck the rear end of a campus police car at this intersection. The KU patrolman is still under treatment for injuries received in this accident. This was one of two personal injury accidents at 15th and Iowa streets this year.
Photos by Bill Stephens & Tom Rosenbaum
BREAK, BREAK, BRAKE—"After the long wait, a break came in the traffic, then a break to go straight, then a brake . . . and a brake," Bob Stewart, Sharon Hills, Pa., sophomore, said. Stewart was driving a car involved in one of two injury accidents occurring at this intersection since the first of the year. Pictured here is his 1961 Rambler which was struck in the right rear, while he was trying to cross the intersection.