Holiday yard sale brings greater attention on safety for police, firefighters

Keeping people safe during heavy traffic was one of the biggest concerns for law enforcement agencies along the route of this weekend's 100-Mile Yard Sale.

"It brings in a lot more traffic, that's for sure," Advance, Mo., police chief Donnie Bohnsack said. "So far -- since they've been having it -- we haven't had any traffic accidents in town."

This Memorial Day weekend marked the 14th year for the annual event along Highway 25 coordinated by local chambers of commerce. The route ran from Jackson to Kennett, Mo., a long stretch of road on which to maintain safety.

In the past, the event has been criticized for creating congestion and because some shoppers parked their vehicles improperly as they rushed to find bargains.

Jackson police Sgt. James Barker said the event caused traffic congestion and parking problems along Highway 25 in the city last year. Although the department did not intend to bring more officers on duty for the weekend, he said it would conduct more patrols through that part of the city, focusing on traffic violations.

Firefighters who have to respond to calls along Highway 25 or U.S. 61 realize the roads are busy even without the added burden of distracted drivers and pedestrians attending the yard sale, said Jackson Fire Department assistant chief Randy Davis.

"The guys know to take it slow, to be extra careful and watch for civilians crossing the road," Davis said. "Anything that happens out there, we have to go through. The guys are just being extra careful this weekend."

Police all along the route of the yard sale were focusing on making certain the highway stays open, Bohnsack said. He said Highway 25 is the major route through town for his officers and ambulances regularly pass through the town on the highway as they transport people to hospitals.

"It's not hard to get cars off the streets during the sale," Delta police chief Verlan Graham said Sunday. "We try hard to get enough parking spaces for everybody."

Delta has several large gravel parking areas where shoppers can leave their vehicles and walk to vendors' tables. Vendors provide water for patrons and also help visitors keep their children out of the streets, Graham said.

Saturday traffic through town was bumper-to-bumper, he said. When the traffic gets heavy, Graham drives his patrol car up and down the street to let people know he's there. The difficulty, he said, is dealing with drivers who want to look at the products on the tables as they drive down the road.

"People want to drive down the road at about 2 mph, and they're looking at the tables," Graham said. "Sometimes you have to come up behind them and tell them to keep moving or pull off the road."

Betty and Leo Nielsen of Sedgewickville, Mo., vendors who set up shop in a gravel lot provided near the roundabout at Blomeyer Junction, said they would have participated in the sale even if they had to set up their tables alongside the road. However, they said they felt a little more protected being off the highway a little ways.

On Saturday, traffic was so bad at the roundabout where Highway 25, Highway 77 and Nash Road converge, a sheriff's deputy had to come out and direct traffic, they said.

Carla Wilson of St. Louis said she brings her mother down to the yard sale every year. They look for salt and pepper shakers, which her mother collects.

Because her mother doesn't walk fast, Wilson said, she appreciated finding places where they can park and walk to the vendors' tables without having to dart across traffic.

jgamm@semissourian.com

388-3635

Highway 25, Jackson, MO

Highway 25, Kennett, MO

Highway 25, Advance, MO

Highway 25, Delta, MO