Left Turn From Rockwell Street Under Review

Whether motorists can turn left from Rockwell Street onto North Mantua Street after construction is finished on the Fairchild Avenue Bridge is under review by city officials.

Kent safety officials have prohibited drivers from making such left turns while construction continues on the nearby bridge.

Kent Safety Director William Lillich said such left turns were allowed prior to the start of construction and the removal of a grassy, triangle-shaped island, which was occupied solely by a sign welcoming people to the West River Neighborhood.

Lillich said the issue will be reviewed by city administrators and Kent City Council members, but a decision is not expected soon.

Kent City Engineer Jim Bowling said initially the city planned to permanently ban left turns off Rockwell Street. He said drivers had a hard time seeing traffic on Gougler Avenue because of the former Triangle Cleaners building.

“That was before … we tore down Triangle Cleaners," Bowling said.

He said the triangular area where the first grassy island stood is a natural dead zone because of the intersection and street layout.

"So it either needs to be striped, which would wear off, or we could put in a grassy island like we did before," Bowling said. "However, we’re not doing either of those. We’re doing something a little more substantial.”

The new island will feature brick-paved walkways and a raised wall with trees planted in the center. It will be smaller, having lost about 12 feet of width on the east side due to the new turn lane for Fairchild Avenue. The island will be completed in 2012 when paving on S.R. 43 and North Mantua Street is finished.

Ward 1 representative Garret Ferrara said he would defer to the city administration to either allow or prohibit left turns off Rockwell Street there.

But he did add the intersection could use some clarification once the construction is completed.

“The way it is set up now is confusing,” Ferrara said. "Anyone who turns left there is probably a resident and knows the area, so it's not that dangerous. But it’s not that far to go out of your way and make a right and a left and another left onto (S.R.) 43.”