Wanted to ease some concerns from many who noticed today that “trees were cut down” on Johnson Marina Road up at the intersection of 76.

No, that is not anything to do with the proposed development trying to come our way. It’s SCDOT begining work to improve that intersection. Basically Johnson Marina is moving over to where the trees have been cut. I’ll explain below…

If you can see the map below (sorry, photo doesn’t enlarge), they are making the intersection more into a “T” so that it is more of a 90 degree turn off 76 instead of the “angle” it is now. Studies show a “T” is safer and keeps people from just thinking “they can veer left and beat oncoming traffic”. The improvement will also help with the “passing lane” that is currently on 76. When improvements are finished the “main lane” on 76 will be straight and there will be a TURN LANE left from 76 onto Johnson Marina Road. This means that those going straight on 76 won’t be the ones “going around” the cars turning left. Instead, those cars will be in a left TURN LANE.

One thing that currently is NOT int he proposal (and is something I mentioned to DOT this morning) is there is no TURN LANE proposed from Johnson Marina Road onto 76 (towards Chapin). Granted, anyone who is local and would want to “go left” usually just goes through Reformation and Lowman Home and uses the light up at Kwik Way. But, I figure, if DOT is looking to help, we need a lane put in the proposal. IN ADDITION, I have asked for them to commit to a traffic study after the intersection is finished so we can hopefully get a traffic signal there (if warranted by study). Currently, the proposal doesn’t have a traffic signal.

We’ve been fortunate out here with many safety improvements – and we have more on the way !

Please know that this improvement will take MONTHS. There is much more involved than cutting trees and paving the road. Utilities, cable, water lines all have to be moved and those schedules won’t be as quick as we’d like. Just know studies shows the improvements will help reduce accidents and are safer for our community. We all want that! Thanks for your patience during this time. Let me know anything you’d like me to pass along to DOT. Left Lane and Traffic Signal are the main ones I’ve heard so far (and I’ve already shared those with DOT).