The Manhattan area has some crazy four-way stops at busy intersections.

• Kimball and Denison comes to mind.
• Anderson and Kimball/Scenic is another.

These have both been in place for several years. When Scenic Drive was put in, the traffic was high enough that it didn’t take long until the decision was made to widen the shoulders. It doesn’t take a Rocket Scientist to know that it would be heavily travelled. Many cars going between Manhattan and Fort Riley pass through that intersection.

I pass through the Anderson and Kimball/Scenic intersection several times a day. What a frustration! Is it so hard to folks to follow traffic laws? The person who gets there first goes first. If a tie, then the person on the right goes first. Take turns.

I have to say that I have learned some new ways to be waved at by other frustrated drivers. Various hand signals and gestures have been used toward me and others. There are several I have never seen before, but judging from the looks coming at me, they aren’t a sign of affection!

Finally, there is a legitimate study, with some options, of the Anderson and Kimball/Scenic intersection being done. The city is having BG Consultants take a survey of whether the public wants stop lights or a roundabout at that intersection. Be sure to express your opinion!

Makes you wonder why it has taken so long for planners to review the traffic and frustration caused by these intersections… Perhaps there has been too much time wasted on the politics of Downtown Redevelopment while other safety issues have been neglected.

- Dan

Update: Well I just realized that I made a mistake with a piece of information in this post. The Kimball/Denison intersection has a stop light, not a four-way stop. Sorry to be factually incorrect.