Pictured Wednesday afternoon is the intersection of Baker Street and Barrett Avenue in Jamestown. Following a redesign, the intersection could reopen to traffic within the next couple of weeks. P-J photo by Eric Tichy

The redesigned intersection of Baker Street, Prather Avenue and Barrett Avenue could be reopened within the next couple of weeks.

Randy Daversa, R-At Large and Public Works Committee chairman, made the announcement during this week’s City Council work session.

The project was approved in 2021 after the three-way intersection was flagged as potential safety hazards. City crews noted more than 3,000 cars a day use Barrett Avenue. The redesigned intersection will have 90-degree connections with Baker Street, which city and county officials say will make the intersection safer.

During the several weeks the road has been under construction, traffic has been rerouted either to Forest Avenue and over to Baker Street or past the Jones Hill medical campus and through residential side streets.

“Another thing was the construction at Baker and Barrett is coming along. Jeff Lehman seems to think that will be done shortly,” Daversa said. “Of course it’s an inconvenience like a lot of the construction that’s happening. He thinks in a couple of weeks that intersection is going to be open.”

In response to criticism from Marie Carrubba, D-Ward 4 and Housing Committee chairwoman, Daversa also said a subcontractor doing road work on behalf of the city has been instructed to use signs to better tell people what roads are being worked on. Carrubba was critical during a past work session of roads being closed, but no signs being put out to tell drivers to avoid the area until it was too late. She said some residents had a hard time getting back to their apartments while at least one out-of-town taxi cab driver was faced with a closed road on one side or driving the wrong way down a one-way street on the other side.

“Suit Kote was doing approaches mostly on the west side of Jamestown and about the traffic cones not warning early enough to go around,” Daversa said. “And Suit Kote has been advised to put up some signage to let at least the buses have know and get them moving around. Hopefully that will help alleviate some of the problems in the future with Suit Kote doing approaches.”