Traffic relief debated for ‘historic’ Free Ferry road

Fort Smith city directors spent much of the noon study session today (July 23) discussing the widening of Albert Pike and Free Ferry Road.

In 2006, the city undertook a road-widening project along Albert Pike, from Free Ferry to Grand Avenue. The original design had proposed a widening of Free Ferry, along with the installation of a traffic signal where the road intersects with Albert Pike.

But according to a memo from City Administrator Ray Gosack, the Board of Directors made changes to the project in April 2005 following public input on the design, which left Free Ferry as a two-lane road and the intersection as a four-way stop.

In the years that have followed, traffic along Albert Pike has increased, with the segment between Grand and Kinkead Avenues increasing from 7,800 cars per day in 2005 to 8,400 in 2012. The segment between Park Avenue and Free Ferry has increased from 7,500 cars per day in 2005 to 7,900 cars per day in 2012. According to Director of Engineering Stan Snodgrass, the thresholds the road met in 2005 for signalization and adding a turn lane are still met today, as proved by the numbers.

Among the options presented to the Board, the original project would add a turn lane on both sides of Free Ferry that would allow drivers to turn onto Albert Pike while not backing up traffic. The land needed for the extra turn lane would be taken from the south side of Free Ferry, Snodgrass said, which would provide the least disruption to residents since the land needed is largely undeveloped.

Another option would install the same additional turn lanes, but the needed land would be taken from the north side of Free Ferry, which he said would require land to be taken from homeowners and would place the expanded road much closer to homes than the previous option. It would also cost more, with the second option totaling about $1.9 million, versus $1.8 million for the first design option.

A third option would also cost about $1.9 million and it would install the city's second roundabout at the intersection, eliminating any need for a traffic signal.

Even though the option would eliminate the traffic signal necessity, Snodgrass said he was not wild about the idea.

"I'm not against roundabouts in general, but if we're going to be installing one, I don't think it needs to be here where 14,000 cars per day go through this intersection."

The city's other roundabout is located in the Riley Farms neighborhood and has a traffic count that Snodgrass considers "low volume."

Many of the city directors voiced opinions on the traffic issue, with Mayor Sandy Sanders stating that he has only noticed traffic troubles "when school is in session."

Director Mike Lorenz, whose has a child enrolled at Trinity Junior High, a private Catholic school that sits near the intersection, said traffic is a challenge before and after school. He suggested the city's engineering department explore other alternatives for traffic flow, such as making improvements to 46th Street or adding a right turn only option coming out of the school onto Albert Pike.

Director Pam Weber voiced opposition to the plan for signalization due to the area being "historical."

"Free Ferry is one of the most historical areas in this city and you have a lot of people who have bought into the history of those homes and have done a lot of renovating and they keep those properties very nice," she said. "And you think about things we talked about neighborhoods' entrance, trees and sidewalks, to me a signal is not a good entrance to a neighborhood. So I am in no way for this. I just don't think it will be good for that area."

She backed Lorenz's idea of exploring other alternatives involving the right turn only lane and improvements of 46th Street.

Director Philip Merry championed the existing four-way stop, saying his background in risk management tells him that drivers will be more cautious, especially near the school, at a four way stop than at a light.

"I think we all agree that we need to do something to alleviate traffic. … I just don't know what the right answer(is)," Lorenz said.

No action was taken on the proposal, with Snodgrass saying he would bring other ideas back to a future study session in September.