Saliman and Robinson: Is this Carson City's worst intersection?
Submitted by Kelsey Penrose on Thu, 09/12/2019 - 3:05pm
The intersection at Robinson and Saliman is, for the majority of the day, reasonable and quick to get through. However, in the thirty minutes before Carson High School classes begin, and the thirty minutes after school lets out, it is one of the most frustrating intersections in the capital city.
There are nine lanes of traffic that have to navigate the four-way stop signs at this intersection, plus the hundreds of students using all four crosswalks.
On Thursday afternoon, ten minutes prior to school letting out at 2 p.m. and ending at 2:20 p.m., I observed the following:
- 31 vehicles (including three busses) failing to stop at the stop signs
- 6 false starts
- 13 slammed breaks
- More than 50 pedestrians entering road without looking
- 9 vehicles turning without signaling
- 31 vehicles (including four busses) entering intersection during another driver's turn
- 8 standstills of more than 3 seconds during which no one entered intersection despite heavy traffic
- More than 20 pedestrians J-walking
- 10 vehicles (including one bus) entering intersection with pedestrians in crosswalk:
- 5 bicycles going through intersection without stopping or looking
- 1 vehicle turning from the wrong lane
While some might say these were the students' fault, 43 of the infractions were made before school had ended at 2 p.m., occurring in-between 1:50 and 1:59 p.m.
According to Lucia Maloney, the transportation manager of Carson City, a traffic light at the intersection has not been deemed necessary by the city.
"It's something that we're still definitely keeping an eye on," said Maloney. "However, at this time it's not warranted just yet. There's no immediate plans to install one, but we continue to keep an eye on it so that if or when it is warranted, we're prepared."
In 2005, Carson High School became the last school in the Carson City School District to be granted a 15 mph school zone speed and gained a new crosswalk after a student was struck by a vehicle and suffered a broken arm.
However, in the past 14 years, there have been no other updates in an attempt to improve traffic conditions in front of the high school for both motorists and pedestrians, despite the fact that over 2,000 students are released from classes and exit school property together at the same time every day.
Until then, motorists who have the ability to avoid Saliman between 5th Street and E. William Street should do so before and after Carson High School is in session, and those that cannot, should use caution, be aware, and obey all traffic laws for the safety of themselves and others.
