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Residents oppose proposed Fifteenth Street extension, citing safety and trail loss
Summary
Residents told city planners the rumored extension of Fifteenth Street through Summit would endanger students and trail users and urged traffic‑calming alternatives; speakers recommended preserving trails and including safety analysis in the comprehensive plan.
YANKTON, S.D. — Multiple residents urged city planners to reject any plan to extend Fifteenth Street through Summit, saying the change would remove park and trail areas and create a dangerous, high‑speed corridor near schools.
“...it's gonna kill a kid,” Jameson Rounds said of the rumored extension, arguing the slope and existing truck and school traffic make a straight extension an unsafe “urban speedway.” He recommended traffic‑calming alternatives such as curving alignments that maintain trail connectivity.
Other residents and speakers echoed safety concerns. Bill Underwood and Cody Richardson described frequent near‑misses and high speeds at Fourteenth/Summit and Fifteenth/Summit, and urged more study before any major configuration change. Residents asked planners to analyze winter braking conditions, semitruck use, pedestrian demand near schools and the potential loss of trail access if a road went through the park behind the high school.
Planning staff said the comprehensive plan process will identify corridors and policy guidance, and they encouraged residents to document concerns through the online survey and interactive map so the consultant can incorporate safety analysis and alternative alignments into draft recommendations.
