By Rusty Bradshaw

Independent Newsmedia

Sun City Home Owners Association officials have not given up their efforts to get some traffic flow changes at key points in the community.

SCHOA’s Roads and Safety Committee has, for months, requested Maricopa County Department of Transportation install a left-turn arrow at 105th Avenue and Thunderbird Boulevard. They claim large electrical boxes in the Thunderbird Boulevard median on the intersection’s west side obstructs drivers’ line of sight when making a left-turns from 105th Avenue.

Committee members have also repeatedly requested a right-turn only lane going northbound on Del Webb Boulevard at the intersection with Bell Road. Del Webb Boulevard’s two lanes expand to three at just south of Loma Blanca Drive then contract into two immediately across Bell Road and that, according to committee members, presents a traffic hazard.

SCHOA officials urge residents to get involved in the effort, believing that could make a difference.

“We hope residents will send letters to our county supervisor (Clint Hickman) and the MCDOT director,” said Pam Schwartz, SCHOA board president.

“Thunderbird Boulevard is becoming a real danger area,” Mr. Powell said during the Dec. 19 SCHOA board meeting. “There was a serious collision on Thunderbird at Del Webb Boulevard yesterday.”

SCHOA officials, when their suggestion was rejected by MCDOT officials, approached APS, owner of the boxes at 105th Ave., and Thunderbird Boulevard, about relocating them.

Pam Schwartz

“I spoke with Patrick McDermott (APS spokesman) who said it would cost $1-$2 million to move those boxes,” Ms. Schwartz said.

The cost comes from the fact there are so many customers in the area of the intersection connected to the electrical equipment in the boxes, according to Ms. Schwartz.

The intersection already has a signal and designated left-turn lanes.

“All we need is a left-turn arrow,” Mr. Powell said.

Mike Albertson, MCDOT traffic project manager, said in the Nov. 15 Roads and Safety Committee meeting adding the turn arrow could cost as much as $500,000.

Mr. Powell last week told of a planned MCDOT project to install a sidewalk on the north side of Olive Avenue between 103rd and 107th avenues.

“There are nothing but block walls along that stretch, there are no houses or businesses that front Olive Avenue,” Mr. Powell said.

He contacted MCDOT officials about the project and was told it would cost $400,000-$500,000. He said he was also told the project was initiated because someone had requested it.

Jim Powell

“It would be a better use of that money to put in the turn arrow instead of a sidewalk that no one will use,” Mr. Powell said.

MCDOT officials have said numerous times a right-turn lane on Del Webb Boulevard at Bell Road was not likely to happen, citing a study showing that 75 percent of drivers in the third lane go straight across Bell Road rather than make a right turn, the low volume of traffic in that lane and the proximately of the lane’s markings start to Loma Blanca Drive.

“Again, we are talking about a safety issue because the reduction of lanes on the north side of Bell creates conflict with cars trying to merge so quickly,” Mr. Powell said.