MASON CITY – Take caution on Mason City streets over the next 7-10 days.
A Des Moines line painting company is in town painting the pavement and streets here and there have restricted access. You will typically encounter a road blocked on one side as the the crew works; they will leave several orange cones to block off the area as the paint drys and they move on to the next location.
(PHOTO: Intersection of South Delaware Ave and Second Street SW; north lane is blocked off at about 10 am despite heavy traffic in the area.)
Drivers are left to more or less fend for themselves and depend on the courtesy of the “other guy” as they “go around” the painted area and venture onto the wrong side of the street to go on their way.
No persons with caution flags or “flaggers” have been encountered at any of the busy street locations so far, despite concerns for safety expressed some weeks ago by City Administrator Brent Trout as a reason why city staff could not complete the work themselves.
The city has not had a press release asking drivers to take caution as the work is completed. The painting seems to be getting done during the hours of about 7 am to 4 pm.
One caller expressed concern over the traffic flow on Pennsylvania Ave and State Street as the project was being completed earlier this week.
“It’s a mess, it’s dangerous, someone is going to be seriously hurt,” the man said. “You can only drive on one side of the road and there is no one directing traffic. You are at the mercy of the ‘other guy.'”
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