By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — The sign on CR 200S in Warsaw that said “No Left Turn” onto Dwight Drive by Eisenhower Elementary School was taken down this week.

During an Oct. 5 meeting, the Warsaw Traffic Commission approved the removal of the sign after some discussion between members of the board and the public. Because of the addition of the stacked drive on Dwight Drive to Eisenhower, the Commission felt the sign was no longer necessary.

Local resident Sussan Larty said since the sign was taken down, the traffic has gotten a lot better.

“I think I was just terribly scared there was going to be another accident. Besides using my driveway, there’s just no way they could have backed out without looking several times because there’s a slight hill to the west. There’s a dip to the east. But it is better,” she said, noting that with the stacked drive “it is better.”

She said there’s a number of semis that use CR 200S, which is fine, but she was afraid there might be an accident. She suggested having flashing lights around the street signs like the stop signs on Wooster Road. However, she reiterated, “it’s a lot better since you’ve taken the sign down.”

Mayor Joe Thallemer asked her if people still turn around in her driveway.

“Oh, all the time,” she answered. “One guy literally told me to wait so I could pull out.” 

Another guy knocked down the brick pillar of her parents’ home, which is next to hers. 

“But that was before the ‘No Left Turn’ sign was down,” she said. 

Street Superintendent Dustin Dillon reported they had just taken the sign down this week. 

Amy Stenoish, an Eisenhower parent, thanked the city for putting in the second incoming lane on Dwight Drive because “it is a game changer.” She said she hasn’t seen traffic backed up on CR 200S since the beginning of the school year and she understands that was the problem before. 

With the stacked lanes, she said it became more unsafe to have the “No Left Turn” sign onto Dwight Drive because “people were overshooting” the road and turning around in driveways. 

Stenoish agreed that flashing lights on signs would help with people noticing it’s now a school zone. The speed limit in the school zone is 35 mph.

Bruce Woodward, who lives in that neighborhood, complained that there are too many signs.

“When you drive on CR 200S from the Warsaw-Wayne Township Fire Territory building, the signs start with a school zone 35 mph speed limit sign before the stop sign at County Farm. You go up the hill and there’s a 45 mph speed limit sign, then a 35 mph sign. These are all within 20 seconds, driving at 35 mph. It really needs to be simplified,” Woodward said.

He was told that the part of the road that is 45 mph is in the county, not the city. 

Councilwoman Cindy Dobbins asked Dillon about the lighted signs. Dillon said they’re not cheap and often are stolen. 

Council President Jack Wilhite said he was not in favor of having signs up without an ordinance to back them and he was OK with the “No Left Turn” sign being removed. He made a motion to approve the removal, with Dobbins seconding the motion. It was approved unanimously. 

In other business, the Traffic Commission approved “no parking” signs along the south side of Park Ridge Drive in the Park Ridge Addition from approximately 297 Park Ridge Drive to 180 Park Ridge Drive. 

An ordinance for the signs must still be approved by the Warsaw Common Council.

The Park Ridge Addition Home Owners Association requested no parking in that area because when vehicles do park along the south side they create visibility and traffic issues. 

The Home Owners Association also will be putting up signs at its pond to restrict fishing to just those who live in the addition, which they think will help with the parking and traffic issues. 

The next scheduled Warsaw Traffic Commission meeting is at 1 p.m. Nov. 2 in the Council Chambers of City Hall.