Traffic is moving at the corner of West Franklin Street and North First Avenue in Evansville. That is, until a pickup and sedan nearly collide at the left turn.
This a crash-prone area, and such a situation that could be improved with a new city project.
On Monday, the City of Evansville announced a set of projects that will alter, or at least clarify, many city streets.
Michael Libitzke is the city engineer.
“So change some striping, change some curb lines, change how the driver approaches those intersections, to raise their level of expectation so they're looking the correct way to find oncoming traffic.”
Specific targeted areas include parts of the Franklin and John Street Corridors.
All city streets with posted speeds above 35 will be re-striped with new thermal plastic.
Libitzke said on average, striping on city streets is about 10 years old. It’s usually only replaced when the road is resurfaced. He said these are five separate projects.
“All these improvements are going to increase driver awareness and driver expectation, which, by default, should improve safety,” he said.
Radar feedback signs will remind drivers entering the city to slow down and some turn striping will be changed for safety.
He said projects will likely begin summer of 2025 and he hopes to have them all finished that year.
These are Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant funds from the Indiana Department of Transportation.
These projects were suggestions of the Evansville Metropolitan Planning Organization.
“As a city, we are always looking for ways to make our residents and our community safer,” said Mayor Stephanie Terry via news release.
“This generous grant from INDOT gives us the opportunity to do that by making sure that the marks on our streets are visible, that our traffic lights stand out, and that drivers are traveling at appropriate speeds on those roads that see some of the heaviest traffic …"
From the city:
The HSIP aims to “achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads.” Evansville’s grant award of $2,246,791 is slated to go toward five separate projects, spanning across the city.
Those projects are:
- Re-striping all city streets with a posted speed limit of 35mph or higher
- Road striping improvements in the Franklin Street corridor, from Fulton Avenue to First Street
- Road improvements in the John Street corridor – specifically at Heidelbach Avenue, Governor Street, and Garvin Street
- Installation of radar reporting speed limit signs on Diamond Avenue, Covert Street, and Lynch Road
- Traffic signal backplates city-wide, increasing visibility of traffic lights
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