Looking north on Ohio from Iron. Salina Post photos
With a number of construction projects around the city occasionally causing parts of streets to be blocked off, the Salina Police Department urges motorists to use extra caution when driving in construction areas.
To drive the point home, Salina Police Detective Sergeant David Villanueva told of an accident that occurred at 7:47 a.m. near the intersection of Ohio and Ash on January 9.
Villanueva said traffic on Ohio was backed up more than a block that morning, in part because of the red light at Iron and Ohio, but also because southbound Ohio was down to one lane of traffic due to the construction on the northwest corner of Ohio and Iron.
He said Salinan Alex Hanley was southbound on Ohio on a 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 300. Hanley was stopped near the intersection of Ohio and Ash while waiting for traffic to move when he was struck from behind by a 2005 Chevrolet Colorado pickup driven by 71-year-old Carey Cunningham of Manchester, Kansas, Villanueva said.
Hanley was ejected from the motorcycle and suffered a broken forearm and dislocated wrist, Villanueva said. The motorcycle sustained such damage that it had to be towed, he said.
Cunningham was cited for following too closely, Villanueva said.
The intersection of Fifth and Ash.
“Whenever you’re in a construction zone, you have to pay extra attention to workers and other motorists for everyone’s safety,” he said. “That is especially true when the weather is bad, as it is expected to be later this week.”