Dont block the driveway – The Garden City Telegram

Meghan Flynn

WednesdayOct7,2020at12:39PM

City looks to add ways to prevent blockage of fire station exists by motorists

The installation of signs and pavement markings on Mary Street by the Labrador Fire Station was approved by the Garden City Commission at its regular meeting Tuesday.

The signs and markings are meant to prevent blocking of the fire stations entry/exit onto Mary Street.

Garden City Public Utilities director Mike Muirhead said blockage of the driveway happens when eastbound and westbound traffic backs up because of the traffic signal at the intersection of Mary Street and Fleming Street taking longer than average.

Garden City Fire Department chief Bill Beatty said the entry/exit cant be blocked because they cant always use the back entrance.

"We have a spare apparatus there, our main pump apparatus, we also have a brush truck and our water tankers kept there," he said. "The brush truck and the water tanker run out of the back side and their only way out is on the side street there and the other truck runs out the front. It's size making the turn. If we were to flip-flop them we'd still have somebody running out the front."

Garden City Police Chief Mike Utz said there will be a large information campaign to educate the public about the markings and signs and what they mean as its a change to the traffic ordinance and could result in a ticket.

"The process would be ... an education program and then any traffic stops would be warnings for a couple months to try to get the message across, and then enforcement," he said.

The rest is here:
Dont block the driveway - The Garden City Telegram