Olathe could ban trucks from a 1.7-mile stretch of Kansas City Road after residents complained about large vehicles getting stuck in roundabouts between Santa Fe and Ridgeview.
City staffers proposed an ordinance designating the segment a "no truck route," according to reporter Lucas Irizarry of the Olathe Reporter. The Olathe City Council is scheduled to vote on the measure Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. at 100 E. Santa Fe.
City representatives told the Olathe Reporter the truck ban would be enforced the same as any traffic violation. The proposal follows complaints about trucks that have gotten stuck trying to navigate the roundabouts along that corridor.
For drivers who use Kansas City Road between Santa Fe and Ridgeview, the change would prohibit through-truck traffic on a road that currently has no such restriction. The ordinance still needs council approval before it takes effect.
A second traffic-safety measure is also on the Nov. 3 agenda. The Olathe Police Department is asking the council to tighten rules for middle turn lanes, citing safety problems "when vehicles are driven in middle turn lanes for extended periods of time or pause in the lane when turning into the roadway."
The proposed ordinance would allow drivers to travel up to 300 feet in a center turn lane while preparing to turn left. It would also prohibit drivers turning left onto the roadway from pausing in that lane before merging into traffic, according to city staff.
The 300-foot limit gives drivers roughly one city block to position themselves for a left turn.
The ordinance has not been approved.
Residents who want to weigh in can attend the council meeting in the Council Chamber at 100 E. Santa Fe.
