People mingled about, munched snacks and moved from poster to poster, while looking at the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities plans to address concerns about the Egan and Yandukin drives intersection.
DOT held a public meeting Tuesday night, in the community room at the Nugget Mall in order to get feedback about potential changes to the intersection.
Informally known as the Fred Meyer intersection because of its close proximity to the big box store, the Egan and Yandukin intersection has been the site of some disruptive crashes. On Oct. 31 there was a three-car crash at the intersection that backed up traffic for two hours.
People add comments to a map of the project area at a Department of Transportation and Public Facilities community meeting at the Nugget Mall on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)
DOT has decided that changes need to be made, but they want public feedback before they make any official plans. Tuesday’s meeting was part of the first phase of the planning process. About a dozen easels with posters giving information on the project were laid out around the room, each with its own DOT employee standing by to answer questions.
The meeting was scheduled for 4-7 p.m., but according to Christopher Goins, design group chief for DOT’s southcoast region, there were people waiting to be let in at 3:45 p.m. By 5:30 p.m. DOT reported that 106 people had signed in.
There were multiple areas for public comment. In addition to DOT staff, there were tables laid out with pen and paper for written comments, and another table with a large map of the intersection with Post-it notes where people could make suggestions.
[DOT to hold public meeting on Fred Meyer intersection.]
“Just the other day I noticed that on densely foggy days, people don’t use their headlights,” said Megan Rinkenberger, an executive assistant for Bartlett Regional Hospital. “This would be one of those instances where anyone making a turn either direction at one of those intersections can turn deadly quickly if you can’t see them coming and then you start to turn left.”
Rinkenberger said she thought simple reminders such as a radio announcement reminding people to turn their headlights on for safety could do a lot to help the situation.
DOT has proposed multiple possible construction projects to deal with the intersection and of the ones she had seen, Rinkenberger said a simple traffic light seemed like the best idea.
But that idea didn’t sit well with Dave Hanna, a local manufacturer.
“For those of us that drive very large vehicles, we feel we have enough traffic lights,” Hanna said. “They’re not necessarily environmentally friendly, it wastes a lot of energy stopping and starting.”
Hanna was also opposed to the idea of creating an overpass similar to the one found near Lemon Creek at the Glacier Highway Access Road. Another option proposed by DOT was extending the end of Glacier Highway behind Fred Meyer and turning the intersection of Egan Drive and Glacier Highway by the McDonald’s into a four-way intersection.
Hanna thought DOT should look into that plan but said the intersection itself might have to be moved.
“Smarter heads than me can figure that out, but I think they should look at the cost of right of way acquisition versus building that monstrosity down at Fred Meyer,” Hanna said.
Lexi Smith suggested that until a proper solution could be found, the left turn lanes at Egan and Yandukin should be closed entirely.
“It would just be a matter of using the old Glacier Highway and using the Lemon Creek underpass area, and it would just be adding an extra minute or two to your commute,” Smith said. “It wouldn’t cut off busses or anything but just as a general safety thing, especially during the winter.”
The community room at the Nugget Mall during a Department of Transportation and Public Facilities community meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)
Following Tuesday’s meeting, DOT will analyze the feedback it received and begin whittling down the number of options under consideration. Public meetings will take place in the future but none are yet scheduled, according to Sam Dapcevich, DOT public information officer for the southcoast region.
“Really our goal tonight is just hearing about what people feel the needs are,” said Jim Brown, engineering manager for DOT. “We’re continuing to open it up and screen these things going forward to make sure that they fit the purpose and needs that we identify as a community.”
DOT has set up a website for the project with information and documents detailing the various proposals. Written public comment can be submitted to DOT via the website.
• Contact reporter Peter Segall at 523-2228 or psegall@juneauempire.com.
A member of the public reads a poster detailing the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities plans for the Egan and Yandukin drives intersection at a community meeting at the Nugget Mall on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019. (Peter Segall | Juneau Empire)
