72nd Street Receives Temporary Closure

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72nd Street looking west from New Augusta Rd.
Photo by Jay Thompson
(posted Jan 17)

The Board of Public Works approved a temporary closure of 72nd Street at the request of the residents to examine traffic problems in the New Augusta Area. The road closure would last than no later than May 1.

Nathan Sheets of the DPW said the closure is between Purdy St. and New Augusta Rd. He said they worked with the school, fire department, police and the neighborhood associations and are in agreement with the closure. The closure "will force them (drivers)" to use the intersection at 71st and Change St.

Sheets said traffic problems occur when traffic backs up at the stop sign at the T-intersection of 71st and Change. He said motorists "peel off" to Purdy, Pollard, Dobson, and Coffman to 72nd Street to avoid the intersection. The closure will allow the DPW to examine the intersection and traffic patterns of the current road cuts through New Augusta. The traffic study will look at alternatives and improvements to alleviate the traffic problems. Board member Cassie Stockamp said "This is all due to the residents requests in that area."

New Augusta Village Association President Mark Volpatti said the roads were designed in the 1850s with no forethought for the 21st century traffic. The streets are 16 feet to 18 feet wide. "The cut through traffic does not understand the magnitude of what happens to save three seconds."

The decision to temporarily close 72nd Street started in 2005 with a meeting among New Augusta residents, DPW, Pike Township Residents Association President Susan Blair, City County Councilor Ike Randolph, and the sheriff's department. It was during that meeting the city required that 75 percent of the property owners would have to sign a petition for the temporary closure. The formal petition drive began in 2007. It was finally submitted to the city on September 30, 2007. Volpatti said a delayed occurred because of a change in administration.

Volpatti said the long-term solution to ease traffic in New Augusta is the planned extension of Guion Road, which ends a few blocks north of 71st St. The right-of-way is available, but no funding for the plan has been allocated. He said the city has limited north-south corridors on the west side. Currently, traffic in the New Augusta area has to make its way to Georgetown Road to go north and south.