Guardrail Planned Along Sections Of High Drive

The view area along High Drive on the South Hill is getting a new look for the sake of safety.

City engineers plan to spend up to $65,000 installing new sections of guardrail to protect motorists from going off the bluff or from hitting trees.

The new railing will be installed in spots where the width is less than 14 feet between the edge of the pavement and the dropoff, said design engineer Ken Brown.

“If you go up and look over the bank, it’s a long way to the bottom,” Brown said.

The vertical drop from the top of the ridge to the bottom of the bluff is 500 to 550 feet.

Although there have not been many accidents involving motorists going off the road and over the bank, Brown said the city wants to make sure no one is killed on High Drive.

The city plans to remove 120 concrete posts that are used in some spots for protection. Brown said those are just as dangerous as a tree if a motorist hits them.

“They are actually a hazard,” he said.

The guardrail, on the other hand, is designed to bend in an accident, reducing the risk of injury. It will redirect a vehicle back toward the roadway in many cases, he said.

Plans call for installing 1,015 feet of guardrail in those narrower areas from Manito Boulevard to 29th Avenue.

In meetings with residents earlier this year, some people complained that the guardrail would damage the landscape and view along the edge of the road, but Brown said the railing will be only about 30 inches high.

Money for the installation is coming from federal road funds that are dedicated to safety improvements.

Reflectors will be installed at the edge of the roadway to help drivers see the roadway more clearly at night.

Bids on the project were due at City Hall on Monday. Construction is expected this fall.

, DataTimes