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SIERRA VISTA — Turning left onto Highway 90 from his neighborhood has made John Westermann nervous for a long time.
The speed limit is 45 mph, but it isn’t uncommon for people to speed on the highway, making the already dangerous left turn even more tricky, Westermann said.
But only two exits, Kings Way at Highway 90 and Busby Drive at Highway 92, are possible for him and other residents of Kings Manor.
He felt it was only a matter a time until something tragic would happen and thought many times that something should be done.
 John Westermann stands at the intersection of Highway 90 and Kings Way Thursday. Westermann’s mother-in-law was involved in an accident there. He wants the speed limit reduced and a crosswalk installed. (Mark Levy-Herald/Review) |
“Now I’m kicking myself about it,” he said.
On Oct. 31 at about 8:14 a.m. something did happen. A car driven by his mother-in-law, Dixie Lou Morace, was hit at the intersection while she was making a left hand turn from Kings Way onto Highway 90.
At the time, an SUV was turning right onto Kings Way. Morace began to turn left but didn’t see the vehicle in the left lane. When Morace pulled in front of her, the other driver couldn’t stop in time, according to the accident report.
“She was in a blind spot, and she didn’t see her coming,” Westermann said.
Morace had serious injuries throughout her body — hips, ribs and heart — and has been recovering since.
“She’s coming around. She has some physical therapy ahead, but we’re very lucky,” he said.
As Westermann, his wife and children had been coping with his mother-in-law’s accident, he made it his mission to see that something is done to make the intersection safer for everyone.
Other residents have also wanted something done to make the intersections safer, he said. A stop light, a crosswalk or a way to slow cars down maybe.
“Something. So the whole situation will be a little safer,” he said.
Westermann also is worried about the children, who go to school nearby since he saw two girls trying to cross the highway at Kings Way last year to get to Berean Academy.
“That actually scared the hell out of me,” he said.
Highways 90 and 92 are maintained by the Arizona Department of Transportation. Safety improvements are being considered for both exits out of Kings Manor, said Bill Harmon, the Safford District Engineer for ADOT.
“We are doing a study right now for improvements along 90 and 92 that will look at improving those intersections,” Harmon said.
Raised medians are expected to improve safety on both Highway 90 and 92 to limit traffic movement, he said.
A median at Kings Way would eliminate the ability to turn left at the intersection — the direction Morace was headed when she was hit.
Drivers would have to turn right, then eventually make a U-turn to go west on Highway 90. Though it may be an inconvenience for drivers, it should improve safety, Harmon said.
On Highway 92 they are proposing to reconfigure Busby to align with Quail Run and signalizing the intersection, Harmon said.
“That will probably become a favored way for people to get in and out,” Harmon said.
As cities grow around state highways, they must balance access versus high volumes of traffic at high speeds, Harmon said. Safety is always the top priority, he said.
“People start opening up their thinking a little bit and saying, ‘The existing highways aren’t good enough ... What’s the next step?’ ” he said.
The highway 90 and 92 improvement study is expected to be completed next summer, Harmon said. Then he can petition “to put these improvements into the five year plan.”
Harmon expects it could be another eight or more years until the plan can be constructed due to limited funding available.
Though the city of Sierra Vista doesn’t have control of the state highways, it supports ADOT’s plans to improve their safety, City Engineer Scott Dooley said.
“One of the most dangerous turns is a left hand turn across 5 lanes. Especially on a highway,” Dooley said.
Westermann met recently with Harmon and the principal of Berean Academy to see what solutions can be found to improve the area for students and residents.
So far, Westermann is in favor of the proposal, he said.
He knows it will take time though to see the results, but he is glad to know they are getting somewhere.
“It’s progress, and that’s a good thing,” Westermann said.
Herald/Review reporter Laura Ory can be reached at 515-4683 or by e-mail at laura.ory@svherald.com.
want justice wrote on Jan 10, 2009 4:54 PM: