Salina commissioners to study East Magnolia Road and Smoky Hill River bridge options
The Salina City Commission will hold a study session Monday, Nov. 9, at 2:45 p.m. on roadway, bridge and traffic options for East Magnolia Road from the flood control levee to Markley Road, including replacement of the Smoky Hill River bridge.
Staff and consultants will ask the commission to confirm project goals and constraints, compare pedestrian-only, existing-alignment and offset bridge concepts, review traffic and the Markley Road intersection, examine roadway width and lane configuration, and evaluate traffic-management options during construction.
The existing concrete box girder bridge was built in 1959. East Magnolia carries about 6,486 vehicles per day with a 40 to 45 mph speed limit. The 2010 comprehensive plan anticipates suburban residential growth and rising corridor traffic. Preliminary design is expected to keep at least one lane open during construction.
A consultant estimate puts a longer pedestrian-only bridge over the Smoky Hill River at about $2.5 million, not including sidewalk and earthwork approaches. Traffic analysis finds the Magnolia and Markley intersection does not currently meet signal warrants but is projected to meet the four-hour vehicular volume warrant by 2046 under assumed 2% annual growth.
