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County commissioner, councilors discuss fixes for congested South Elliot/510 intersection; engineering study requested
Summary
Commissioner Grossman and councilors debated short‑ and long‑term fixes for the South Elliot/Section Line (510) intersection; immediate options include stop signs, flashing warnings or a traffic study to develop a redesign.
Bridal Creek councilors and County Commissioner Grossman discussed several short‑ and long‑term options to address congestion and visibility problems at the intersection where South Elliot meets Section Line Road (510). No council action was taken; staff and the county will pursue a traffic engineer’s input.
Commissioner Grossman opened by describing heavy congestion and limited sight lines at the curve where traffic from 510 meets South Elliot. He proposed several interim measures including removing one stop sign to keep traffic flowing on Elliot and adding a yield sign or a stop sign at the curve coming from 510. "If you could get them slowed down and keep traffic moving on Elliott, my question is would that be an improvement?" he asked.
Councilors and staff raised concerns about each alternative. One staff speaker cautioned that removing stop control could create congestion and that a traffic signal would be expensive (an estimate of about $400,000 was cited). Others suggested a four‑way stop, adding a stop sign on the curve with flashing beacons, or reconfiguring the road to create a dedicated turn lane or a T intersection that would prioritize Elliot through‑traffic.
Several speakers recommended first obtaining a professional traffic study to collect peak‑hour counts (the group identified evening commute times as the peak) and to model alternatives. "You may need to increase your radius of your curves because you're gonna have people with trucks and trailers," one participant said, noting potential conflicts with existing utilities including a large cone valve that controls part of the water supply and could limit reconstruction options.
Commissioners and councilors also discussed longer‑range options including a signalized intersection or a roundabout should development in the area proceed. County, city and Cherokee Nation coordination was suggested for larger interventions. The council directed staff to contact the traffic engineer (Dale or Burke were name‑checked) to see whether prior plans or studies already exist and to get a price for a study. No ordinance or permanent change was approved at the meeting.
