LISA HOBBS - News Editor
A truck driver out of Kentucky became trapped on a bollard this morning. His situation came within hours of an attempt to prevent such occurrences.
“If they’d had the new directional arrows down, I would have known I could use the center lane to make a right turn,” stated trucker Joshua Michael Esarey, 48.
The city of McMinnville announced on its Facebook page yesterday that a new traffic pattern would be placed downtown on the morning of Sept. 30. The truck became stuck just after 9 a.m.
According to the Facebook post, “The old pavement markings and signage have been removed. New double yellow lines have been painted, and new directional arrows will be painted tomorrow morning.”
At the time of this incident, there was two lanes to continue straight and only one lane for traffic coming off W. Main to turn right onto N. Chancery. Once the new markings are placed, there will be two lanes for making a right turn onto N. Chancery, which will provide vehicles with a wider turning radius.
Esarey is out of Kentucky and had been to Amazon and was making his way to Dunlap via GPS directions, which instructed him to take a right at that intersection and a left onto Beersheba Highway.
“They also told me that if I had gone straight, it would have taken me to Beersheba Highway, and I would have been fine,” stated Esarey. “Not being from here, I didn’t know that.”
The new driving pattern will also align the straight-through lanes on Chancery St. and eliminate the lane shift.
“Please use extra caution as everyone becomes accustomed to the new traffic pattern and pay close attention to the new pavement markings and signage. We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause and appreciate your patience, attention, and cooperation,” the Facebook post concluded.
Esarey was cited for no semi-truck route.