Ark Valley News - This is why North Ridge is dangerous

This is why North Ridge is dangerous
Last Updated: November 08, 2018

You asked why so many wrecks occur between the 5300 and 9000 blocks of North Ridge Road? As an almost daily driver of this stretch of road for the past 13 years, I can give you a couple of reasons I have observed:

•Speeding drivers on a two-lane road who, when they've become impatient with other drivers who are driving the actual speed limit or even 5 mph over it, will pass them, even if it's not safe to do so.

•Commercial sand truck drivers pulling onto Ridge Road in front of other drivers, causing them to have to practically stomp on their brakes to avoid hitting those trucks from behind.

Another dangerous occurrence is a vehicle turning east on 85th Street and the impatient vehicle behind them goes around the turning vehicle into the middle of the intersection of 85th and Ridge. Another vehicle begins entering the intersection from the opposite direction and a head-on accident occurs. I've seen it happen.

This stretch of road is only two lanes, basically has no lighting because it's considered a rural area, and has a speed limit of 55 mph. The county is in charge of its maintenance, but it gets little to no snow removal or de-icing efforts, and the ditches along the entire way of Ridge are mowed maybe twice a year. These situations also contribute to accidents, especially if drivers are going faster than they should be for the road conditions because they misjudge those untreated road conditions.

With the growing population, both residential and commercial, in this area and north of it, Ridge Road really should be widened to four lanes from 53rd to 85th and Sedgwick County should be doing a better job maintaining it. Until then, all drivers along this stretch should make a concerted effort to be more observant and remember the 55 mph. It's a limit, not a goal.

— Kim Zimmerman, rural Valley Center