Lhermansen@cherryroad.com

The truck traffic on 199th Street through the rural parts of southern Johnson County including Edgerton was the main topic of discussion for another week at the Thursday, August 25 Board of County Commissioners meeting.

Frank Moley, 199th street Edgerton resident, said the narrative was CARNP says no Type III designated roadways are to allow through traffic for trucks and they should be restricted to State and Highway roads.

“I’m done being patient while waiting for inaction,”he said.

Moley said the BOCC isn’t representing the people of the county and the navigation software knows what is appropriate for trucks and so do the commissioners.

He said the focus was on BSNF and Marc instead of the people they serve.

Moley started a petition which currently has over 500 signatures.

“You’re not representing the people,”he said.

Mike Duffield, rural Johnson County resident, said the residents didn’t know there were 20 years future planning for 199th Street to be changed from a two lane road to a four to six lane road.

“The cost difference is staggering,”he said. “We have repeatedly requested to limit the truck traffic. This is about safety. I don’t see how this makes us safer.”

Wayne Davis, 199th Street resident, said the truck conges- tion was creating more safety hazards.

He began to speak about Commissioner Charlotte O’Hara’s seat, and said it was “no small wonder Charlotte was running for County Chair in November,” when his microphone was cut off.

Davis was allowed to continue addressing the board about truck traffic.

“Consider the needs of constituents,”he said. “Come sit on my front porch and watch trucks drive by. I invite you down to see what’s going on.”

Brian Pietig, public works director, presented information on 199th Street during the manager memo’s report at the end of the meeting.

Pietig said the southwest area of the county had changed especially with the type of traffic and it had increased.

He said 10 to 15 years ago they had stopped improvements West of 169 Highway and moved to east of US 169. CARNP had designated 199th Street and US 56 Highway, Clare Road and more as Type III.

“It doesn’t accommodate Interstate truck traffic,”he said. “Through truck traffic is the responsibility of the State. Trying to prevent trucks jumping to K-10.”

Ed Eilert, county chair, said West of 169 sections go through Edgerton and Gardner and three miles of Clare Road were annexed into Gardner.

He said do they override the City or make judgements.

“When the city annexes and takes over they have the responsibility,”he said. “We started having conversations with the cities.”

O’Hara said Gardner is concerned about the truck traffic.

“199th Street is inadequate for servicing semis,”she said. “I’ve been out there. It’s frightening.”

O’Hara said the county needs to take the leadership role and Gardner and Spring Hill do not want the truck traffic.

“The technique is used all the time in cities,”she said. “All we have to say is no trucks allowed. Local traffic is totally different. It’s 207th, 191st, Edgerton Road, Gardner Road, Moonlight Road.”

O’Hara said trucks have access to I-35 Highway and don’t have to use the two lane roads.

“It’s dangerous,”she said. “Someone will get killed. We know it is an extremely dangerous situation. I had a motion that has been tabled. I implore my colleagues to take over.”

Shirley Allenbrand, commissioner, said the staff continues to meet with cities and the Sheriff’s office about the safety concerns and they are trying to work together.

“I went to Moley’s property for two hours,”she said. “They’re terrible roads. But we can’t just knee jerk without everyone working together or it will create more chaos.”

Allenbrand said they are trying to fix the whole problem together and the priority is to have a committee of the whole.

“We can’t get it fixed fast enough,”she said.

Eilert said no decision was being made Thursday morning.

Janee Hanzlick, commissioner, said they shouldn’t think anyone doesn’t care about the truck traffic.

“All are very concerned,”she said. “I’ve been down there. I know how scary it is. If tomorrow we put up signs we have to be prepared for the truck traffic to go somewhere else. It creates a problem on a whole ‘nother road.”

Hanzlick said they have to have safety throughout the area.

“CARNP is looked at every year and is a slow moving document,”she said. “The last change review was 10 years ago. It needs a major review.”

Pietig said they have to be prepared for where the truck traffic goes if they are banned from 199th Street.

“199th is in its infancy of development,”he said. “We are trying to think of the future. Heavy commercial and industrial is coming. I don’t see it going backwards.”

Jeff Meyers, commissioner, said it was an important issue to be looked at.

“I spent Friday morning on the road to be educated personally,”he said. “I don’t think it is the right time to give the report of what I saw. I am concerned about the item.”

O’Hara said they could ban trucks on secondary roads.

“We need to send the message loud and clear to use highways,”she said. “They should not be there. We are allowing this. I can’t imagine having teenagers out there on these roads meeting semis.”

O’Hara said it was irresponsible on the county’s part and it was common sense to ban trucks until the infrastructure was adequate.

“This could be 20 years before the infrastructure,”she said. “Why don’t we just do the common sense thing and have no trucks allowed on secondary roads. In the interim isn’t it better to be safe than sorry.”

O’Hara asked for Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden to tell the board about the safety issues on 199th Street.

Hayden said the road doesn’t allow room to make a stop.

“We don’t have enough shoulder,”he said. “There are trucks everywhere.”

Hayden said maintenance costs for the road will also cost a ton.

“If you don’t designate it the GPS sends trucks all over the roads,”he said. “It would help. If we make stops it is super dangerous and scares me to death. We have had fatalities on 207th. It’s tragic.”

Michael Ashcraft, commissioner, said it was an interesting issue and a holistic, informed approach was needed.

“If we fix one part will it spill over and create another problem,”he said. “O’Hara raised a valid point. Big trucks all look the same but have different motivations. The question becomes ways to reduce the number of cut through traffic of those using the road for a shortcut versus local activity.”