Intersection near MPCHS to receive safety updates

MT. PLEASANT — The intersection of South Grand Avenue and Harvest Drive located at the entrance of the Mt. Pleasant High School will likely get changes geared toward safety soon.

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During the regularly scheduled Wednesday, Nov. 13 Mt. Pleasant City Council meeting, the city council proceeded with a first reading of two ordinance amendments that would create a four-way stop at the intersection and lower the speed limit on South Grand Avenue to 35 miles per hour.

“The school system is concerned about the safety of the traffic pulling in and out and we had some instances out there at that intersection,” Schleisman explained.

According to City Administrator Brent Schleisman, the street committee and the Mt. Pleasant Community School District have discussed changes to this intersection in the interest of safety for a few years. Previously those discussions have included conversations about placing a traffic light instead of stop signs, but Schleisman stated “that was very expensive.”

Mayor Steve Brimhall explained that during discussions Police Chief Lyle Murray recommended lower the speed limit on South Grand Avenue to 35 miles per hour. Schleisman explained that this would create more consistency in speed as it is also 35 miles per hour all the way up to Winfield Avenue.

“With all the other stuff that’s going on, and a lot of inexperienced drives, we’ve had a few accidents at that intersection and a lot of close calls,” Schleisman said. “We also have a lot of deer get hit there. There’s no lights on that road, and then we have harvest.”

In addition to concerns about students entering and exiting the school at this intersection, a recreational trail that crosses at that intersection which adds to the pursuit of this amendment.

“After further discussion based off safety and the ongoing increased population of what's happening on Grand Avenue with other businesses, rec trail crossings, and the jail opening up and all that, the street committee felt that four-way stop sign would be good and reducing the speed limit to 35 miles an hour, since we do have all these other activities taking place on Grand Avenue.”

MPCSD Superintendent John Henriksen explained during the November board meeting that the city council would need to have a minimum of two readings for this amendment then “they’re ready to go and get started on that.”

“We’re pretty excited about the safety changes that are coming to that intersection,” Henriksen said.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com