By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw

WARSAW — The Warsaw Traffic Commission appears to have come up with a way to greatly increase traffic flow for motorists passing through the Detroit, Pope, and Prairie Street intersections.

The board has struggled for years to come up with a solution, and on Wednesday threw their support behind a plan that relies on two right-turn only configurations.

The changes, along with some other road improvements, will be done next summer and is expected to cost about $300,000.

 Dustin Dillon, the city's director of Public Works, said the new plan "Hits almost every one of the concerns ... that we've had in the area and at a very cost-effective price," he said.

The changes would result in the following:

Traffic coming east on Prairie (around the corner) will be right turn only on to Pope Street. Motorists headed west on Pope Street will be right turn only heading north to Winona. Those driving south from Winona Avenue (on Detroit Street) will still be permitted to go east on to South Pope or continue on south on South Detroit to Prairie, Dillon said.

The traffic commission looked at numerous options, before turning to a consultant.

“We've looked at all-way stop signs, we've looked at traffic signals, we've looked at the roundabout. This was the simplest, most cost-effective that fit into and with the normal road maintenance that we're going to perform anyway.

Construction of one or two roundabouts as a long-term solution remains an option for the future, but Dillon said that would be years away and would face financial hurdles. 

A long-term plan suggested roundabouts be constructed at Pope and Detroit streets and another at Pope and McClellan streets.

"There's going to have to be a lot more development, a lot more economic triggers ... to get to that point,” he said.

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WARSAW — Construction of two roundabouts is being considered as a long-term solution to reduce traffic congestion in the area around Detroit and Pope Streets in Warsaw.

The city’s traffic commission unveiled six options on Wednesday aimed at improving traffic flow in an area that includes Detroit, Pope and Prairie streets. 

The commission is looking at both short-term and long-term solutions that would reduce congestion, in part, by measures that would deter motorists from using the three streets as a shortcut around State Road 15.

Six options were presented to the traffic commission by VS Engineering, Indianapolis

Combined, the roundabouts at Pope and Detroit and Pope and McClellan Street would essentially create an elongated Figure 8.

The roundabouts would roughly cost a combined $4.1 million. 

Two other options would rely on right-turn-only street designs and cost either $300,000 or about $160,000.

Intended improvements are also complicated by railroad tracks that cross Pope between Detroit and McClellen.

Public Works Director Dustin Dillon said future decisions will be based on what's affordable.

City Councilman Michael Klondaris has been studying the issue for years and offered his thoughts, saying there are no easy solutions.

"The conclusion that I'm kind of coming to is that the best long-term alternative at that intersection would be to put in a traffic circle or mini roundabout… that will allow people to go the directions that they want to go,” Klondaris said.

The owners of historic Warsaw Cut Glass also have a keen interest in seeing the intersections upgraded. Linda Kirkendall attended Wednesday's meeting and said the business wants to see changes that provide better flow and also protect their parking lot, which is adjacent to the corner of Prairie and Detroit.

“Our main concern is we want to see the Cut Glass factory go into the next generation ... It's the only business of its kind in the U.S., so we kind of think it's important to the area," Kirkendall said. 

Check out a more extensive look at the options in this Times-Union story.

The traffic commission is expected to continue discussions on the mattteree at its next meeting on August 5.

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