Ripping Up Mantorville

As I drive into Kasson multiple times a day, I’m impressed by the planning that went into the road construction. Sure, it is a hassle taking all the detours, but I have no trouble getting to where I want to go. Other area communities have had greater problems in previous years when they had to deal with multiple detours through their towns.
Mantorville has been assured that when Highway 57 is ripped up, people will have access to businesses and homes along the highway. We may have to walk a little further from our parking spot, but we will be able to get to our destination.
Ripping up Highway 57 in downtown Mantorville will provide some good benefits. In addition to a new smooth roadway, all the sidewalks will be replaced. There are several areas where the current sidewalks are uneven and cumbersome. The improved access from the street level to the sidewalks will prevent the slips and falls that can happen now. Another thing that is going to improve safety and the aesthetics of the sidewalk area, is that the electric power line poles are going to be moved from the sidewalks to the alleys. When the poles are moved, new streetlights will be placed along the highway. The plan is that the new light poles will allow for lighted Christmas decorations to be hung from them. We have not been allowed to hang Christmas decorations from the current poles for the last few years.
Another goal of the project is to improve safety in the downtown area by keeping the highway traffic to the speed limit or lower. Studies have proven that if you slow down the traffic, accidents will decrease. We do need to slow down the traffic. This past week I was crossing the highway from the Hubbell House corner to the Saloon corner. I was already in the crosswalk when I looked at the noise to my right and saw a large dump truck rumbling down the hill at over 40 miles per hour. There was no way it could stop for me in the crosswalk, so I backtracked to give it more room.
I am concerned about two parts of the plan to slow down traffic. My first concern is that the state plans to narrow the highway by 8 feet in the downtown area. They will accomplish this by increasing the width of the sidewalks by 4 feet on each side of the highway. The state says that the traffic will slow down if the roadway is narrower. I believe that traffic will slow down if we make the highway narrower, but I also believe that we will be creating a new problem.
Two months ago, I parallel parked my car in front of the Welcome Center. I opened the driver’s door, knowing I had plenty of room between my car and the traffic lane. As I got out of the car, a large semi-tractor trailer buzzed by me much closer to my car than it should have been. If my open car door would have been higher, it would have clipped the side mirrors on the truck. If my car had been 4 feet closer to the traffic lane, I would have been killed.
Another planned enhancement to slow down traffic and increase pedestrian safety is going to be the placement of sidewalk bump outs at our four most popular crosswalks. The corners by the Chocolate Shoppe, the Hubbell House, the Saloon, and the County Seat, will have sidewalk extensions into the roadway. This means the highway will be even narrower in these places, so a pedestrian spends less time walking on the roadway. This also means that a farmer bringing a wide farm implement through town, will have to use both traffic lanes to get through the intersection. I think the bump outs will look cool, but I believe they will also inhibit traffic flow through town.
I feel like a politician. I have pointed out problems but have not provided a solution. Please send me your solutions. I can be reached at terryeckstein@kmtel.com.
Terry Eckstein is a Mantorville businessman and president of the Mantorville Chamber of Commerce.
Photo:  Adventures  in Kasson Mantorville Terry Eckstein