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Resident urges council to address obstructed sightlines at 100 South and Main Street intersection
Summary
Resident Jared Sorensen told the Gunnison City Council Sept. 3 that overgrown trees and landscaping at the intersection of 100 South and Main Street create unsafe sightlines for high‑profile vehicles, described a recent collision involving his daughter, and asked staff to trim vegetation and consider other fixes.
Jared Sorensen told the Gunnison City Council on Sept. 3 that trees and vegetation at the intersection of 100 South and Main Street block the view for large vehicles and create a public‑safety risk. Sorensen said his daughter was struck there about 10 days earlier after she pulled forward and could not see oncoming traffic.
The concern centers on visibility for high‑profile vehicles such as semitrailers, which Sorensen said need a longer sightline to pull out safely. "She backs back up trying to see and thought she was in the clear and went to pull out and a pickup just hit her," Sorensen said during the council's public‑forum period, adding he photographed the scene and sent the images to city staff and council members.
Sorensen noted that staff had recently trimmed trees on the north side of the intersection but said the south side still blocks drivers’ views. "I think there should be a 10 foot fence right now," he said, and asked the city to trim vegetation on the south side, accept additional photographs from residents documenting the sightlines, and to consider longer‑term fixes.
Council members and staff discussed other options raised during the comment, including a potential traffic signal. Sorensen cautioned that a signal would not eliminate the visibility problem for right turns, saying, "the stoplight is not going to affect the right hand turn." A city staff member present said the south side could be trimmed as well.
Sorensen also referenced the city's "clear view ordinance" during his remarks; no ordinance section, code citation, or formal enforcement action was announced at the meeting. City staff did not take formal action during the meeting; they acknowledged receipt of photos and indicated they would follow up on trimming and other safety options.
The concern was raised during the public‑forum portion of the council meeting rather than as a scheduled agenda item, so no formal vote or directive was recorded. Residents with safety concerns at the intersection were invited to continue sending photographic evidence to city staff to help the city evaluate sightlines and potential traffic controls.
Details to watch: whether staff schedule additional trimming on the south side, whether the council or staff place the intersection on a future agenda for traffic‑control analysis, and whether the city cites or applies the clear‑view ordinance in subsequent correspondence or action.
