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Fair Plain resident tells commissioners Napier traffic signals, lane changes creating long evening delays
Summary
A Fair Plain resident told commissioners that Napier Road traffic lights and lane reductions following sidewalk construction have caused long evening backups and neighborhood cut-through traffic.
A Fair Plain resident told the Berrien County Board of Commissioners that changes to Napier Road have caused significant evening traffic congestion and prompted cut-through traffic in nearby neighborhoods.
Bob Sievert told the board he has lived on Napier for about a decade and described long, block‑long backups in the evening since sidewalks were installed and lanes were reduced. He said some traffic signals seem to run full cycles even when little cross traffic is present and that left-turn lanes are disproportionately long. Sievert said he had spoken with Joey Edwards and suggested the board consider whether state law changes are needed; he also said he had emailed commissioners about the issue.
Commissioners clarified that traffic signals are a mix of Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and locally controlled lights, and that the Michigan State Police have final authority for speed-limit determinations in some cases. Sievert asked the board to consider the problem because the congestion affects his neighborhood and daily travel.
Ending: Commissioners thanked the resident for raising the issue and noted that traffic-control authority is shared among agencies; the board did not record any formal vote or directive specific to Napier Road in the public transcript.
