Adjustments keyed toward helping traffic flow

The City of Lawton will be making adjustments on or near two arterials, to help improve traffic safety.

City Council members agreed this week to plans to re-stripe turn lanes on Southwest 6th Street at West Lee Boulevard, and to require installation of an access gate and traffic control signs for the new Braum’s at 151 N. Sheridan Road.

That Braum’s already prompted a change in the traffic signal light that had controlled a three-way intersection that gives access to a retail shopping complex on the west side of North Sheridan Road. The new four-way intersection, with accompanying traffic signal light, will help vehicular access into and out of the Braum’s on the east side of North Sheridan Road.

But, residents in the adjacent neighborhood have asked for other control measures to address concerns in increased traffic through their area.

The city staff’s recommendation was to place a controlled access gate on the alleyway that is between the business and the residential neighborhood, something Public Works officials said would reduce traffic on what is designed as a residential alleyway, meaning that maintenance costs also would decrease. In addition, the city will require installation of a “No Outlet” sign in the alley, as well as a “No Truck Traffic” sign on Northwest Arlington Avenue, directly behind the business. The developer will pay for and install the access gate, and reimburse the city the cost of the traffic control signs, city officials said.

The city also will take the lead role in remarking the Southwest 6th Street/West Lee Boulevard intersection.

The plan is to remove the left-turn only lane on Southwest 6th Street, then change the southbound and northbound lanes at the intersection to be combination left-turn and straight-through lanes. The plan means removal of the left-turn only markings and striping, and reprogramming the signal light, city officials said.

Traffic engineers said a recent traffic study showed vehicular flow at the intersection doesn’t meet the criteria for a protected left-turn.