The Watchdog | A light delay, not a flight delay, on a street at the airport

The problem

Jerry Anders, who works for an airline, says drivers are delayed unnecessarily when they take the Bern Street exit from Cookingham Drive, the main drag that motorists use to get from Interstate 29 into Kansas City International Airport.

“There is no right turn on red, and I’ve waited for over three minutes for it to change.”

It happened again last week, Anders said, and there wasn’t another car in sight. He’s seen a lot of frustrated drivers run the red light.

The answer

When Kansas City staffers checked the signal, they found only a 15-second wait for drivers turning from southbound Cookingham onto Bern Street, because of light traffic on Bern.

“Our crews will continue to monitor that light and ensure its proper function,” said Sean Demory, spokesman for Kansas City public works.

Stuff like this always happens, the Watchdog says. Why, just last week, his pup’s fever broke in the doctor’s waiting room.