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[Massagetherapyworks]

I've read that the state isn't going to widen/improve Telegraph Rd. north of Meijer for another few years. There should be something Monroe can do to improve traffic flow there. How about extending the road between Staples and WalMart west so it connects with Raisinville, or something, for direct access to M50 where Ellis Library is. That way all the drivers coming into that busy Telegraph area from the west county don't have to add to the traffic problem at M50/Telegraph and north.
What other traffic problem fixes do you have?

[Greg Chamberlain]

How about extending the road between Staples and WalMart west so it connects with Raisinville, or something, for direct access to M50 where Ellis Library is.

Wow, that is a really good idea!

http://tinyurl.com/ypqecs

From the map it looks like it would only require approx 2500 feet of roadway to connect Mall Rd and Stewart Rd. And you could do it without demolishing any homes. I'm not experienced in traffic engineering but it would seem to me that it could cut down a lot on the local traffic that currently clogs up N. Telegraph Rd.

By the way, it is bullcrap that the State won't widen Telegraph Road.

[Mike Ingels]

That is an interesting idea.  There are a couple of problems that I could see with it.

First, Frenchtown Township is developing a new park behind the Fire Station/Library at the intersection of Blue Bush and Stewart.  Could a connection be made that made sense given those plans?  BTW, check it out.  The park is on P.29 of this PDF File: http://www.co.monroe.mi.us/Monroe/uploadedFiles/frenchrecplan.pdf

Second, I'd imagine that drivers would take Stewart to Bates Lane to N. Custer to Raisinville to M-50.  The North Custer section of that is already quite congested and in poor shape.  Would that solve the problem or create more?

Also, most of that area is residential and becoming moreso each day.  How would that connection relate to the neighborhoods and residential developments?

And there are already streets that can be traveled from Telegraph to M-50.  So, a lot of it is a question of knowledge on the part of travelers.  Most people go on auto pilot and take Telegraph.  Maybe better mapping, publicity and improvements to current roads/intersections might relieve the pressure as much as a new road.

[nerd]

Now that I have figured out that it is much faster to take Monroe street from where I live to get pretty much anywhere I don't take Telegraph.  I agree with Mike that better signage could probably help a lot of people take different routes.  Alas, while I studied some traffic engineering in college it was more from the standpoint of identifying future trouble areas than from fixing current ones.

[chris]

constructing a new road would never happen.  it would take years to engineer the road, grades, drainage, etc.  and not to mention millions of dollars that would have to appear out of nowhere. 

there is a simple solution to the problem.  frenchtown township needs to get on wal-marts *** and have them pay for widening of the road from mall road past where the new store would be.  if you noticed, aldi put in a turn lane in front of its store.  wal mart needs to do the same.  the township needs to put its foot down with wal mart.  that one new store will make traffic a standstill nearly 24 hours a day. 

[UltiTrish]

I see one problem with the turn lane out of Aldi's though; it is to close to Meijers so you now have people turning both ways to come out of Miejer and you are also going to have people turning left and right out of Aldi's - I am just waiting for an accident there.  To me it seems with the two being so close Aldi's should of maybe been turn right only coming out of there.

Just my opinion

[Natasha]

I agree with Trish. It should be a right turn only out of Aldi's.  Not sure if I will shop there or not because of the traffic.  I don't go to Walmart that much because of the congestion just to get there.

[mousemeat]

Not sure if it will help the traffic flow, but it would help cut down on accidents. I would NOT allow left-hand turns anywhere on Telegraph EXCEPT at the lights, and the middle turning lane. IE: NO left-hand turns out of any area, like McDonalds, Burger King, Meijers, etc. I believe that alone would cut the accident rate by 75% or more. Just imagine, you are turning left out of McDonalds, and someone is coming up the middle turn lane, at the same time someone is turning left out of Burger King............ With 2 lanes of traffic hindering your view this is why you should not attempt a left-hand turn. Turn right and go into Meijers, and come back out on Stewart, or into Arbys, back to out on Stewart and turn at the light. Also DO NOT use the middle turning lane as a mergeing lane. You can get a ticket for this.

Stop and think about this. If only right-hand turns were allowed, you would not have to worry about the "Hidden traffic". Slow down, take that extra few minutes, and make those turns safely.

[charcoal]

i get sick of hearing bad things about walmart i cant wait to get the superstore beats all the rest price wise and all  what about lowes lot of people cut through walmart to get to and from the light so its walmart fault ? bet aldis didnt pay for turning lane  the state is stupid if your going to charge one  not fair there are alot of businesses on telegraph  if its congested by walmart and not meijers guess what that tells me !   walmarts been getting a bad wrap but as far as the clothing people should read the labels on other stores clothes.i will surely do all my shopping at walmart  cant wait

[Mayonnaise]

I agree that making left turn on Telegraph does and has caused accidents. I think if people would pay a little more attention when they drive and use the center lane as it is supposed to be used for as a TURN Lane and not a MERGE LANE.

[UltiTrish]

we are ones who often times when leaving Lowes cut thru Walmarts parking lot BUT we are on the very outside of it and we obey the stop signs when we come to one and why not go down to the light instead of trying to turn left out of Lowe's on a busy saturday when you cannot get out. There is nothing wrong with going down to the light IF you are observant and careful.

Again, just my opinion and I agree that most of those businesses on Telegraph should limit the ways they can turn onto Telegraph or make a sort of service drive for some.

as for what will happen with old Walmart - all that we know is the property will be up for lease in the summer of 2008 - when the new one is projected to open I do not know. I do know that there is nothing being done in the way of construction at this point so I certainly hope they are not closing down the old without having a new to open very soon after that.

[chris]

i get sick of hearing bad things about walmart i cant wait to get the superstore beats all the rest price wise and all  what about lowes lot of people cut through walmart to get to and from the light so its walmart fault ? bet aldis didnt pay for turning lane  the state is stupid if your going to charge one  not fair there are alot of businesses on telegraph  if its congested by walmart and not meijers guess what that tells me !   walmarts been getting a bad wrap but as far as the clothing people should read the labels on other stores clothes.i will surely do all my shopping at walmart  cant wait

woah, is your period key broken?  first, its ok to cut through wal mart to get to lowes.  theres a reason businesses connect their lots, to make it easier for people to get from one to another.  if you notice, pretty much everywhere there is a wal mart there is also a lowes very close.  the two business feed off of each other.

second, i bet aldi's did pay for that turn lane.  your right, if the state put it in, all other business would complain that they also deserve a turn lane.  plus if the state did it, it would probably take about 2 years to get it started.  i can almost guarantee you aldi's paid for it with approval from the state. 

third, what to you mean people should read the labels on other stores clothes?  ill admit, i dont like to shop at wal mart, but i have occaisionaly.  i have bought a few clothing items there, and i have to say they are all horible quality.  i bought a shirt with a logo, and when i got home i realized the logo was off center.  i took it back, but noticed just about every shirt was off.  and i bought a polo type shirt and it shrank about 2 sizes the first time i washed it.  im not saying i dont like cheap prices, but id rather pay a little more to know that the clothes are going to last, and arent made by a 5 year old forced to work. 

Also DO NOT use the middle turning lane as a mergeing lane. You can get a ticket for this.

this is one of my biggest pet peeves about drivers besides people that leave their turn signals on for miles.  i cant tell you how many times a day i see people do this. STOP DOING IT!  ITS ILLEGAL AND DANGEROUS!  people are so impatient these days they cant wait an extra 10 seconds for both lanes to clear to turn onto the road.  and when people do this, instead of stoping in the turn lane, putting your signal on, and waiting for a clearing, they accelerate and speed down the middle turn lane.  this is SO dangerous.  i cant count how many times i go to turn left and almost get hit head on by some idiot barreling down the middle turn lane.

[Greg Chamberlain]

frenchtown township needs to get on wal-marts *** and have them pay for widening of the road from mall road past where the new store would be.

Frenchtown Township realizes that without Wal-Mart, that whole area is going to become a dump like Frenchtown Square Mall. Besides, Wal-Mart has offered to pay for half of the cost of widening Telegraph Road. But the state will not allow it. So who do you blame? Frenchtown Township? Wal-Mart? Get the hell out.

The fact is not even half of the traffic going through there is going to/from Wal-Mart. It's a major through way. But Wal-Mart is willing to pay MORE than their fair share because it is good for business and will get more people in the store.

Augh, I can't stand typical leftist anti-walmart ignorance.

[Massagetherapyworks]

We had a traffic problem like this where I grew up. They built a barrier in the middle of the road with jughandles (like small exits) so all traffic had to turn at the lights. It really cut down accidents. With the middle lane here, it wouldn't be too hard, but cutting into the land at the lights for the jughandles would require lots of patience from the existing property owners there.

It would seem city planners should be doing just this...planning for the future. Instead I see builders being given permits to build many subdivisions all over the county farmland with no thought for schools, fire depts., traffic, parks, etc. Meanwhile there's at least 4 double-sided pages of homes for sale in the newspaper.