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Bridge affected by road work
Published Tuesday, July 1, 2008
VIDALIA — While one lane of traffic across the Natchez-Vidalia bridge may irk some, the roadwork being done just off the bridge in Vidalia is being done for safety.
That work, which closed one lane of the bridge Monday, is to build a right- turning lane onto Louisiana Avenue.
The City of Vidalia requested the work be done, Mayor Hyram Copeland said.
“We have such a tremendous amount of traffic coming off the bridge it created a safety hazard when people were having to slow to make the right turn,” Copeland said.
With the completed four-laning of Louisiana 15 and the future four-laning of U.S. 65, that hazard would only get greater with an expected 25 to 30 percent increase in traffic, Copeland said.
That project should be completed in 60 days, and $212,000 was allocated for its completion, Area Engineer for Department of Transportation and Development District 58 Ken Free said.
The DOTD is also doing roadwork along U.S. 84 in Concordia Parish, adding 13 new left-turning lanes between the four traffic lanes.
That construction, for which $1.3 million was allocated, should be completed in 90 days, Free said.
The locations of where to place the new turning lanes were determined by accident history at those locations, Free said.
Those locations include the turns off of U.S. 84 at:
Roundtree Road
Vail Acres
L.J. Denny Road
Hammett Addition
Louisiana 3196
Green Acres Road
Thomas Drive
Vidalia Drive
Ferriday Drive
Crestview Drive
Marsala Beverage
A.J. Gibson
Louisiana 3232
Comments
Posted by darylwalker (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 5:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm glad to hear they're finally putting a turning lane in at the foot of the bridge. I've only been saying the should do it for the last 20 years.
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 6:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Great to see Concordia Parish is looking out for there roads...Natchez look across the bridge and take note.. Do something about our roads.. Tourist will be back soon...
They have the biggest cluster twister in front of wal-greens. That is gonna be a huge mess....
Posted by triscuit (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 7:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Fire39212 urges Natchez to do some road work and complains about the road work they're doing in the same breath. But it sure is great what Concordia Parish is doing! Bizarre.
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 8:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Let me rephrase this then triscuit....Natchez needs to do some road work that is needed... Have you drove down the streets of natchez? I still say they have a cluster twister by wal-greens....I still say Concordia parish could teach Natchez alot about repairing or adding to the town...Let's see how long it takes Natchez to completly screw the road that they are working on. Then compare it to how long it takes Concordia Parish to finish.
Posted by asandbb22 (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 9:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
(fire39212)you should learn the difference between city roads and state roads, and also if the cluster is so bad how about you give an opinion on how to fix it since you are so qualified. . .NOT!
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 10:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The first solution would be fix the roads we have...It is still a cluster twister.....
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Long overdue, and there also needs to be median widening out west of Vidalia so people can get off the highway safely in order to make a left turn and cross the highway.
Also just past the bridge in Vidalia there needs to be more room for vehicles to cross the road, such as when one comes out of the area where the Sandbar Restaurant is, and turn back to come back to Natchez. That whole stretch of four lane needs wider medians and entrance and exit lanes for enhanced safety.
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 10:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
HOLY SMOKE!! a million dollars to make an exit lane!! How long is it gonna be? I would think 100 yards maybe?
Posted by triscuit (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 10:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks for rephrasing fire39212. It is SO much clearer now. Obviously you weren't just typing anything and everything that came into your mind all at once without giving any thought to whether it made sense or not. And yes I have DRIVEN (not DROVE) down the streets of Natchez. Asandbb22, good point.
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 10:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree fire39212, the area around Tracetown shopping center (I think that is what you're talking about when you mention Walgreens) is messed up. But MDOT is going to fix that soon with an overpass and a continuous flow intersection which will give us all easier exit and entrance to the frontage road and Tracetown, and allow traffic on 61 to zip right on through without any stop. I have a business in Tracetown and that is what the landlord has been saying for a year now anyway. We'll just have to wait and see how it turns out, I hope MDOT does a decent job.
Posted by meluvcookies (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 10:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
People please, when this turning lane at the foot of the bridge in Vidalia is finished, use your turn signal WAY in advance to let the ones behind you know you will be turning! Actually, they should have been doing this all the time, but unfortunately some folks don't know how to use their turn signals, or perhaps they forget that they even have them! Anyway, I still think getting this turning lane is a great idea! Kuddos to those suggesting getting this done and following through!!
Posted by msfixit (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 11:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The article was worded poorly, but I believe that the 1.3 million covers the construction of all the turn lanes on hwy 84 listed at the end of the article, as well as the one at the foot of the bridge.
Posted by asandbb22 (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 11:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
No problem triscuit.(Krogers) is correct in what is going on, but there is no real cluster if people pay attention and realize you can only use the Main entrance into Walgreens. (fire39212) the roads you are referring to are city roads, so how about you contact the person and tell them they need to be fixed. And while you are at it stop at the bank and pick up some cash to fund this road work.
Posted by FHSbulldog (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 1:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
First of all, when I am approaching the bridge on the Mississippi side, I always get in the left lane to avoid traffic coming off of Canal Street as there are quite a few wrecks there. I then stay in the left lane all the way to Vidalia to avoid cars that are turning right at the foot of the bridge. To me this is the best way to avoid being in an accident. With the new medical establishments already there and being built, the new hotels, restaurants, Vidalia Welcome Center and events held on the riverfront, traffic is only going to increase in the future. I obey the speed limit and probably make a lot of people upset, but at least I slow those down who are behind me. Some drivers drive extremely fast and are so impatient on the bridge and this is dangerous.
Posted by kpage1 (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 1:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So true, FHSbulldog! I try to be a courteous driver but it's a shame others could care less. I HATE to be behind slow drivers in the left lane, those who won't use turning lanes or signals correctly, and those who STOP DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MAIN ROAD to turn off. I was told a while back that slow drivers cause more wrecks than Speedy Gonzalez drivers. I guess it causes too much confusion when traffic doesn't flow smoothly.
I think it's a great idea to froo froo up the roads with turning lanes. Less congestion and confusion.
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
K- That's those Sunday Afternoon driver's!
Posted by james (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 3:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
IF YOU DRIVE IN THE LEFT LANE OTHER THEN PASSING YOU ARE A LAW BREAKER !
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 4:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Krogers, I have to tell you - no overpass. That's what I thought too, but they say there is no room for one, so it's some kind of controlled traffic lights. But I still don't see how it could be called continueous flow traffic. There was a ND article last month or so on it.
Posted by gottabehappy (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 7:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I just heard that was another cop car collision with a reg car somewhere on Arlington Ave. a few minutes ago.
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on July 1, 2008 at 8:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm still trying to find out why the comments on the story on the man who died were deleted. Hint hint!
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