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  • Mona City Council surprised by the outcome of a recent traffic survey to determine need for school crossing on Main Street


By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent

Though several council members were surprised by the outcome of a study, they all agreed a reduced speed school zone crossing needed to be installed.

Mona Council members reviewed the results of a traffic survey conducted at the council's request by Ludlow Engineering.

Rick Schnurr, former council member, had received the document from Ludlow Engineering after the study was completed. He had earlier been assigned to request the study and followed through with the assignment sending it to the council meeting with Darlene Fowkes, council member.

"I questioned the need," said Cory Squire, council member, "but after seeing the results I'm not questioning the need any more."

Doran Kay, council member, also said he was surprised by the results of the survey.

Stephen Ludlow, of Ludlow Engineering, said the requested study had been completed. The study preformed was a reduced school zone warrant evaluation on the intersection of Main Street and 100 South in Mona at the crosswalk on the South side of the intersection and going to the East and West across the road.

"On Thursday, May 22, we conducted a traffic count from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to insure an average count to exceed 500 in a 24-hour period," said Ludlow. "Our count showed that 973 cars passed the intersection in an 8 and a half hour period, exceeding the 500 count criteria."

Ludlow said a school crossing may be installed where the volume of school children exceeds 10 during a period extending from not earlier than 45 minutes before school starts until warranted demand ceases, and on a period extending from the beginning of warranted demand, until no later than 30 minutes after school ends, and when the street's average daily traffic exceeds 500 vehicles.

He said the minimum points in a rural area is 12 and this intersection received 22.

A crossing guard may be used without a reduced speed school zone, however, a reduced speed school zone my not be used at an elementary school crossing without a crossing guard, said Ludlow.

The weather was warm and clear at the time the evaluation was made.

Ludlow also determined speeds of the drivers, as part of the study.

It was found that 21.3 percent of the drivers were traveling at a mean speed of 32.5 mph; 33.7 percent were traveling at 37.5 mph; 17.6 were traveling at 42.5 mph; 10 percent were traveling at 27.5 mph.

Of the total, 3.7 percent traveled at 47.5 mph and 5 percent traveled at 22.5 mph; .5 percent traveled at 12.5 mph; 3.7 percent traveled at 17.5 mph.

"Look how consistent the results are," said Harry Newell, council member.

"All you really need to do is stand down on the highway for awhile and you will see that there is a lot of traffic on the road and you can also see the number of children we have trying to make it across the intersections," said Darlene Fowkes, council member.