The Nebraska Department of Roads has completed its study of traffic control options at the junction of Highways 385 and 20 in Chadron and reached the same conclusion it did 3 years ago: a roundabout or traffic circle is the only one it supports.

Chadron Public Works Director Milo Rust says the city received the state’s conclusions two weeks ago, but he’s waiting until City Councilman Dr John Gamby returns from a lengthy vacation before bringing it to the council. The issue is now set for the council’s meeting on the 21st.

The NDOR study says neither traffic volunte or the number of traffic accidents at the junction, 21 between 2006 and 2013, isn’t high enough to justify either a traffic light or 4-way stop signs. In fact, the study says traffic volumes at the junction have dropped 10% over the past year.

The state also rejected restoring the fly or free right turn lane from eastbound Highway 20 onto southbound Highway 385 that was removed a number of years ago.

The NDOR letter says such ramps have been removed all across the state because of high numbers of rear-end and side-swipe collisions between merging vehicle.

It does admit that an off-set turn lane would help the 20/385 junction, such a project would not qualify for federal safety funds and the department can’t “justify the costs for this improvement at this time.”

The Chadron Council rejected the roundabout proposal amid strong public opposition when it was first proposed in 2011 and again this past winter, although the council did ask that the roundabout be included in the study of options.

The city also asked that NDOR study the intersection of 6th Street and Highway 385 for a possible traffic light, but the study showed that while there were 14 accidents at the location between 2006 and 2013, only 3 of the 8 in the last 3 years were directly related to traffic crossing the highway from the stop signs on 6th Street.