MINUTES OF THE
TRAFFIC COMMISSION
Monday,
October 23, 2006
7:00 PM
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairperson Judy Kuiper, Brad
Hopp, Cmdr. Jim Arts, Ald. Gary Kriescher, and Matt Kuepers
MEMBERS ABSENT: Vice-Chairperson Carol Macaux
(excused); George Hoell
OTHERS PRESENT: Ald. Nicholson; Ald.
Wiezbiskie; Ald. Theisen; Recording Secretary and Traffic Engineer Dave Hansen
1. Approval of the minutes from the September 25, 2006 Traffic
Commission
meeting.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by Cmdr. Arts and carried to
approve the minutes of the September 25, 2006 Traffic Commission meeting.
2. Review
of 2006 third quarter serious/fatal traffic crashes within the City of Green
Bay.
Cmdr.
Arts summarized the report. One fatal
accident occurred on September 17, 2006 involving a motorcyclist who struck a
utility pole and was fatally injured.
Speed and alcohol were the primary contributing factors.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by Mr. Kuepers and carried that the
review of 2006 third quarter serious/fatal traffic crashes within the City of
Green Bay by received and placed on file.
3. Request
by the Traffic Engineer to establish a STOP condition on Watercrest Road at Huron
Road.
A
motion was made by Cmdr. Arts, seconded by Mr. Kuepers and carried that a
ONE-WAY STOP condition on Watercrest Road at Huron Road be established and be adopted
by ordinance.
4. Request
by the Traffic Engineer to establish a STOP condition on Dolomite Drive at
Huron Road.
A motion was made by Cmdr.
Arts, seconded by Mr. Kuepers and carried that a ONE-WAY STOP condition on
Dolomite Drive at Huron Road be established and be adopted by ordinance.
5. Request
by the Traffic Engineer to reduce the speed limit from 35 mph to 25 mph on
Spartan Road from Luxemburg Road to Highland Center Drive.
Mr.
Hansen explained that the roadway was reconstructed this summer from a rural
roadway (shoulder and ditch) to an urban roadway (curb and gutter). The roadway was redesigned to a 25 mph
posted speed.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by Cmdr. Arts and carried that to:
A. Remove the SPEED LIMIT 35 MPH zone on Spartan Road from Humboldt
Road to Judy Lane.
B. Establish a SPEED LIMIT 35 MPH zone on Spartan Road from
Humboldt Road to Luxemburg Road.
C. Establish a SPEED LIMIT 25 MPH zone on Spartan Road from
Luxemburg Road to Highland Center Drive.
D. Establish a SPEED LIMIT 35 MPH zone on Spartan Road from Lisa
Lane to Judy Lane.
and be adopted by ordinance.
6. Request
by the Traffic Engineer to reverse the YIELD condition on Durham Road to
Edinburgh Road.
Mr.
Hansen presented a map showing the nearby street system before this year’s
construction of Paula Street and its connection to Durham Road, and described
where the new Paula Street now exists.
As a result of the recent roadway construction, Durham Road functions as
a local collector street, as opposed to Edinburgh Road, which serves as a local
residential street. Reversing the YIELD
condition places the proper roadway traffic control for traffic flow through
this neighborhood.
A
motion was made by Mr. Kuepers, seconded by Mr. Hopp and carried that, on a
90-day trial, to:
A. Remove the TWO-WAY YIELD condition on Durham Road at
Edinburgh Road.
B. Establish a TWO-WAY YIELD condition on Edinburgh Road at
Durham Road.
7. Request
by Ald. Nicholson to review the parking on Schoen Street between Lilac Lane and
Amy Street.
Ald.
Nicholson requested that this request be postponed.
A
motion was made by Cmdr. Arts, seconded by Mr. Kuepers, and carried that that
the request to review the parking on Schoen Street between Lilac Lane and Amy
Street by postponed until the November 2006 Traffic Commission meeting.
8. Request
by Ald. Nicholson to rescind the 90-day trial of the 2-HOUR PARKING DURING
SCHOOL HOURS zone on both sides of Huth Street from Hillside Lane to Oakdale
Avenue.
Ald.
Nicholson stated that the residents that requested this parking zone have now
rescinded the request based on lack of neighbor consensus.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by Mr. Kuepers and carried that the
90-day trial of the 2-HOUR PARKING DURING SCHOOL HOURS zone on both sides of
Huth Street from Hillside Lane to Oakdale Avenue be rescinded.
9. Request
by Ald. Theisen for designated on-street parking on the 800 block of South
Baird Street.
Ald.
Theisen stated he met onsite with the Traffic Engineer and Traffic Technician
to discuss this request. He described
the Baird Street situation during Little League baseball games at the East
River Optimist Park (1450 Lawe Street).
Residents along the east side of the 800 block of South Baird Street
claim they cannot exit their driveways safely because vehicles park in front of
their driveways. Residents claim they
have difficulty seeing conflicting traffic around parked vehicles when exiting
their driveways. In some instances,
residents are driving their vehicles on the sidewalk over to the next driveway
in order to access the street in a better location. During the site visit, Ald. Theisen questioned if it was possible
to mark on-street parking stalls in front of homes on the east side of the 800
block, and if so, are parking stall violations enforceable.
Mr. Hansen stated the City
does not have a supporting ordinance to cite vehicles that don’t park within a
marked on-street parking stall; such marks are for guidance only. Other options were discussed such as
restricting the parking during athletic events and no parking on weekdays
between 4 and 8 PM.
Ms.
Kuiper questioned how a resident would know that a special event is going on
since the ball diamonds at the park are not visible to on-street motorists.
Cmdr.
Arts questioned where motorists would park if a restricted parking zone was
established. He also stated that it
might anger some residents if a NO PARKING 4 PM – 8 PM zone was established.
Ald.
Kriescher stated that the City marks loading zones on-street parking stalls, and
does not mark the on-street metered stalls.
Ald.
Theisen stated that the City Park & Recreation Department is considering
expanding the East River Optimist Park parking lot. He stated that parking has been a problem for many years,
especially the last three summers. When
he has seen vehicles violating the NO PARKING within four feet of a driveway
ordinance, he has placed warning letters, drafted by the Police Department,
under those vehicles’ windshields that states they are in violation of the
ordinance.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by Mr. Hopp and carried that, on a
90-day trial beginning April 1, 2007, to:
A. Establish a NO PARKING DURING ATHLETIC EVENTS zone on the
east side of South Baird Street from Porlier Street to a point 70 feet south of
Lawe Street no earlier than April 1, 2007.
B. Establish a NO PARKING DURING ATHLETIC EVENTS zone on the
east side of South Baird Street from a point 100 feet north of Lawe Street to
Cass Street no earlier than April 1, 2007.
10. Request
by the Traffic Engineer to remove the southbound NO RIGHT TURN restriction on
Irwin Avenue at Main Street.
Mr.
Hansen clarified that the request was for the removal of the NO RIGHT TURN ON
RED condition, not a NO RIGHT TURN condition.
The Dairy Queen restaurant building - now razed and removed - caused a
visual obstruction to southbound right-turning motorists, given its proximity
to the northeast corner of the intersection.
The existing NO RIGHT TURN ON RED restriction was established because of
this former conflict. Now that the old
building is removed, and the proposed site plan shows the new building being
relocated north of its former location, southbound right-turn motorists should
now be able to safely make a RIGHT TURN ON RED movement from the southbound
stop bar location.
Cmdr.
Arts agreed with the Traffic Engineer’s statements.
A
motion was made by Cmdr. Arts, seconded by Mr. Hopp and carried that the
removal of the southbound NO RIGHT TURN ON RED restriction on Irwin Avenue at
Main Street be adopted by ordinance.
11. Request
by Rich Heidel to establish an ALL-WAY STOP condition at the intersection of
Elm and North Adams Streets.
Mr.
Hansen presented a map showing this four-approach intersection where two of the
approaches are commercial entrances.
Currently the intersection operates under a THREE-WAY STOP condition,
with the northbound movement having the free flow movement.
Ald.
Kriescher stated that there is not much traffic at the intersection.
Mr.
Hansen made references to other similar intersections in the city that operate
as a THREE-WAY STOP condition. The City
has installed TRAFFIC FROM LEFT (or RIGHT, depending on the intersection) DOES
NOT STOP supplemental signs under STOP signs at some of those intersections’
approaches where safety issues have been identified.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by Cmdr. Arts and carried that:
A. The request to establish an ALL-WAY STOP condition at the
intersection of Elm and North Adams Streets be received and placed on file.
B. The Department of Public Works be instructed to install a
TRAFFIC FROM LEFT DOES NOT STOP supplemental sign under the STOP sign at the westbound
approach of Elm Street and North Adams Street.
12. Request
by Elmore Elementary School Principal Kathy Tillo to change the NO PARKING
zones near Elmore Elementary School on Mather Street, Ethel Avenue, and Bond
Street to NO STOPPING OR STANDING zones.
Mr.
Hansen stated he met today onsite with Kathy Tillo, Elmore School Principal,
another school representative, and Mike Donart, Transportation Manager with the
Green Bay Public School District, to observe the school dismissal traffic. Ms. Tillo is concerned with the
pedestrian/motorist conflicts at the intersection of Mather Street and Ethel
Avenue, which operates under a TWO-WAY STOP condition (Ethel Avenue traffic
stops for Mather Street traffic). Ms.
Tillo continued that the crossing guard at the FOUR-WAY STOP controlled
intersection of Gray and Mather Streets should be relocated to the Mather
Street and Ethel Avenue intersection.
Ms. Tillo would like the NO STOPPING OR STANDING zones established to
reduce the traffic on school perimeter streets during school hours. Ms. Tillo would like this zone established
on the west side Ethel Avenue between Bond and Mather Streets; on the south
side of Mather Street from Ethel Avenue east 250 feet; and on the north side of
Bond Street from Ethel Avenue east 150 feet.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by Cmdr. Arts and carried that, on
a 90-day trial:
A. Remove the NO PARKING BUS LOADING ZONE ONLY zone on the west
side of Ethel Avenue from Mather Street to Bond Street.
B.
Establish a NO STOPPING OR STANDING BUS LOADING ZONE ONLY zone
on the west side of Ethel Avenue from Bond Street to Mather Street.
C. Remove the NO PARKING DURING SCHOOL HOURS zone on the south
side of Mather Street from Ethel Avenue to a point 145 feet west of Ethel
Avenue.
D. Establish a NO STOPPING OR STANDING DURING SCHOOL HOURS zone
on the south side of Mather Street from Ethel Avenue to a point 150 feet west
of Ethel Avenue.
E. Remove the NO PARKING DURING SCHOOL HOURS zone on the north
side of Bond Street from Ethel Avenue to a point 350 feet west of Ethel Avenue
during school hours.
F. Establish a NO STOPPING OR STANDING DURING SCHOOL HOURS zone
on the north side of Bond Street from Ethel Avenue to a point 360 feet west of
Ethel Avenue.
13. Request
by the Traffic Engineer to modify the parking restrictions on Oneida Street
from Badger Street to Western Avenue.
Mr.
Hansen explained that the Oneida Street reconstruction project is now complete
and Oneida Street is open to traffic.
The former roadway had four travel lanes, two in each direction. The new roadway has two through travel lanes
with a two-way center turn lane.
On-street parking from Badger Street to Mason Street is no longer
available. Furthermore, to safely merge
traffic from two lanes to one, on-street parking on both sides of Oneida Street
must be restricted roughly 250 feet north of the Badger Street intersection.
A
motion was made by Cmdr. Arts, seconded by Ald. Kriescher and carried that, on
a 90-day trial:
A. Remove
the NO PARKING zone on the west side of Oneida Street from a point 200 feet
south of Badger Street to a point 250 feet south of Badger Street.
B. Remove
the NO PARKING zone on the west side of Oneida Street from a point 110 feet
north of Western Avenue to Tilkens Street.
C. Remove
the NO PARKING zone on the west side of Oneida Street from Badger Street to a point 110 feet north of Western Avenue (7:00 AM
to 6:00 PM except Saturday and Sunday).
D. Remove
the NO PARKING zone on the east side of Oneida Street from Badger Street to
Tilkens Street.
E. Establish
a NO PARKING zone on the west side of Oneida Street from 250 feet north of
Badger Street to Tilkens Street.
F. Establish
a NO PARKING zone on the east side of Oneida Street from 220 feet north of
Badger Street to Tilkens Street.
14. Request
by Ald. Deneys for a STOP AHEAD sign on the north side of Bond Street heading
west towards Fisk Street, between Fisk Street and Saratoga Boulevard.
Mr.
Hansen stated that this sign was installed on October 11, 2006.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by Cmdr. Arts and carried that the
request for a STOP AHEAD sign on the north side of Bond Street heading west
towards Fisk Street, between Fisk Street and Saratoga Boulevard be received and
placed on file.
15. Request
by Ald. VanderLeest to establish a NO PARKING zone within 25 feet of 1019
Michaline Drive.
Mr.
Hansen stated that he discussed this request with Ald. VanderLeest. The resident at 1019 Michaline Drive has had
problems receiving mail because vehicles have parked too close to their
mailbox. Residents have the option to
place their mailbox anywhere along the street.
Most nearby residents have placed their mailboxes within four feet of
their driveways (map and photos were presented). The City has an ordinance that restricts on-street parking within
four feet of a driveway opening.
Cmdr.
Arts stated that the City should not set a precedent by established NO PARKING
zones in front of houses becaue of mail delivery issues.
Ald.
Kriescher presumes the resident doesn’t want to move their mailbox.
A
motion was made by Cmdr. Arts, seconded by Mr. Kuepers and carried that the
request to establish a NO PARKING zone within 25 feet of 1019 Michaline Drive
be denied.
16. Request
by Steve Holstead to establish a NO PARKING zone on Larsen Road in front of
2554 Larsen Road.
Mr. Hansen stated that the north side of Larsen
Road, from a point 440 feet west of Packerland Drive to a point 550 feet west
of Packerland Drive, is a NO PARKING zone.
The request is to establish a NO PARKING zone, north side, from a point
585 feet west of Packerland Drive to a point 735 feet west of Packerland
Drive. If the request became an
ordinance, this would create a 35-foot gap in the NO PARKING zone, plus sign
clutter. Mr. Hansen recommends that the
existing zone be extended west to the western property line of 2554 Larsen
Road.
A
motion was made by Cmdr. Arts, seconded by Mr. Hopp and carried that, on a
90-day trial, to:
A. Remove the NO PARKING zone on the north side of Larsen Road
from a point 440 feet west of Packerland Drive to a point 550 feet west of
Packerland Drive.
B. Establish
a NO PARKING zone on the north side of Larsen Road from a point 440 feet west
of Packerland Drive to a point 735 feet west of Packerland Drive.
POSTPONED FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
17. Request
by Ald. Nicholson to add a right turn lane on Lime Kiln Road at the
intersection of Main Street.
Mr.
Hansen presented an aerial map showing the existing intersection lane configuration. He summarized the northbound right-turn
volume for a typical weekday as follows:
1. 225 vehicles over a 12-hour period
(10% approach volume)
2. 14 vehicles during the morning peak
(12% approach volume)
3. 26 vehicles during the mid-day peak
(15% approach volume)
4. 33 vehicles during the evening peak
(10% approach volume)
Mr.
Hansen did not recommend any changes to the existing lane configuration of the
northbound intersection approach.
Ald.
Nicholson paraphrased a letter from a person who requested the right-turn
lane. Ald. Nicholson asked the Traffic
Engineer to provide him the intersection traffic counts.
Mr.
Hansen acknowledged.
Mr. Hopp stated that the southbound intersection
approach (the Copps Foods primary access) is too narrow for the two existing
northbound entrance lanes.
Cmdr.
Arts stated that he is not aware of a crash problem at the intersection, and
that improvements to this intersection may be cost prohibitive.
A
motion was made by Cmdr. Arts, seconded by Mr. Hopp and carried that:
A.
The request to add a
right turn lane on Lime Kiln Road at the intersection of Main Street be denied.
B.
That the Traffic
Engineer provides the Lime Kiln Road at Main Street traffic counts to Ald.
Nicholson.
REFERRED BACK FROM STUDY
18. Request
by Ald. Theisen to establish a FOUR-WAY STOP condition at the intersection of
Crooks and S. Roosevelt Streets.
Mr. Hansen presented the results of the traffic study,
which recommends no changes to the intersection traffic control pending the
removal of a semi-permanent site obstruction to the intersection located at 345
S. Roosevelt Street. If consent to
remove obstruction is not obtained, he recommends establishing a FOUR-WAY STOP
condition. He stated that this
obstruction may have been a contributing factor to one crash at the
intersection within the past year.
Ald.
Kriescher has observed low pedestrian traffic at the intersection.
Ald.
Theisen stated that existing TWO-WAY STOP control seems appropriate for the
intersection.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by Mr. Hopp and carried that the
request by Ald. Theisen to establish a FOUR-WAY STOP condition at the
intersection of Crooks and S. Roosevelt Streets be postponed until after the
Police Department contacts the resident at 345 S. Roosevelt Street about
removing a site obstruction.
19. Request
by Ald. Theisen to synchronize and actuate the traffic signals on South Monroe
Avenue at East Mason and Chicago Streets.
Mr.
Hansen presented the results of the traffic study.
Ald.
Theisen recently observed the signal operations at 10:30 PM and noticed that
the loop detector issue on the eastbound off-ramp may not have been completely
resolved as previously thought.
Mr. Hansen stated that he
has forwarded Ald. Theisen’s observations to DPW electricians and that they are
investigating the issue.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by Cmdr. Arts and carried that the
request by Ald. Theisen to synchronize and actuate the traffic signals on South
Monroe Avenue at East Mason and Chicago Streets be postponed until the
improvements are completed.
20. Request
by Ald. Fradette that a traffic-calming study be performed for the intersection
of Elizabeth Street and Eastman Avenue.
Mr.
Hansen presented the results of the traffic study. He recommended that additional speed data be collected.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by Mr. Kuepers and carried that the
request by Ald. Fradette that a traffic-calming study be performed for the
intersection of Elizabeth Street and Eastman Avenue be postponed for additional
data collection.
21. Request
by Ald. Wery on behalf of Sue Liebergen (828 Gross Avenue), to study traffic
calming measures along Gross Avenue.
Mr.
Hansen presented the results of the traffic study. He does not recommend any changes to Gross Avenue between West
Mason Street and Hickory Hill Drive, as the observed speeds from the study
concluded that traffic calming features already in place are working and
effective. In addition, the major
contributing factors to the crashes within the corridor are alcohol and weather
related.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by Cmdr. Arts and carried that:
A.
The request to study traffic calming measures along Gross
Avenue be received and placed on file.
B.
That the Traffic Engineer sends a copy of the traffic calming
study to Sue Liebergen (828 Gross Avenue).
TERMINATION OF TRIAL PERIODS
22. That, on a 90-day trial
period, to establish a NO PARKING zone on the east side of Steven Street from
Dousman Street to a point 60 feet north of Dousman Street.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by Mr. Kuepers and carried that a NO PARKING zone on the east
side of Steven Street from Dousman Street to a point 60 feet north of Dousman
Street be adopted by ordinance.
There being no other items
of discussion, a motion was made by Ms. Kuiper, seconded by Ald. Kriescher and
carried to adjourn from the regular orders of business. The meeting ended at 8:10 P.M. The next Traffic Commission meeting is
scheduled for Monday, November 27, 2006 at 6:00 P.M.