Clay County commissioners reviewed a contractor and owner's-representative analysis of median removals on County Road 218 and did not approve changes after discussion and public input.

WGI owner’s representative Carlos Campos presented two design options: remove medians and install dual left-turn lanes for an approximately 800-foot east section (estimated incremental cost about $15,000) and a roughly 600-foot west section (estimated incremental cost about $45,000). Staff said the design change would require lowering the posted speed limit in the affected area from 45 mph to 40 mph to meet design criteria for a five-lane section with opposing left turns.

Campos said the contractor could incorporate the change without scheduling delay if the board provided prompt direction because crews were active in the corridor; delaying a direction could add expenses and schedule impacts if median work was already completed.

County Engineer Richard Smith and staff noted the corridor is a transitioning access classification with many driveways and businesses, and they cautioned that a future increase in traffic could require additional access management steps. The board heard that the proposed opposing-left configuration (sometimes called an “opposing left” or bidirectional left-turn lane) carries different safety tradeoffs than a fully divided median.

Commissioners also discussed whether the change would prompt additional requests elsewhere on the corridor. Staff pointed out that older parcels and driveways had been contacted as part of the project outreach.

A petition from area property owners asking for the change was presented to the board, but when a commissioner moved to adopt the medians-to-dual-lefts change there was no second; the motion therefore failed and no formal change was approved.

The board did not schedule a further vote; staff will continue coordination with the contractor and report any schedule or cost impacts if the board asks for the change at a future meeting.