MINUTES
TRAFFIC
COMMISSION
Monday,
September 24, 2007
7:00 pm
MEMBERS PRESENT: Vice Chairperson Brad Hopp,
Matt Kuepers, Charles Karow, Ald. Gary Kriescher, and Mark Schuster
MEMBERS ABSENT: Chairperson Judy Kuiper and
Cmdr. Lisa Sterr (excused)
OTHERS
PRESENT: Ald. Deneys, Ald.
Zima, Lt. Brad Florence (in place of Cmdr. Sterr), and Recording Secretary and
Traffic Engineer Dave Hansen
1.
Approval of the minutes from the August 27, 2007 Traffic Commission
meeting.
A
motion was made by Ald Kriescher, seconded by Lt. Florence and carried to
approve the minutes from the August 27, 2007 Traffic Commission
meeting.
The
remaining items were discussed in this order:
8, 14, 7, 2-6, 9-13, 15-18
INITIAL
REQUESTS
2.
Request by the Traffic Engineer to remove the STOP condition on
eastbound Emilie Street at Monroe Avenue.
Dave
Hansen, City Traffic Engineer, stated that Emilie Street from Monroe Avenue
west is a dead end, and that the west approach of the intersection was recently
changed from a standard intersection to a driveway access entrance. Since Emilie St now will function as a
private driveway to 2 homes, the STOP sign on the west approach should be
removed.
A
motion was made by M. Schuster, seconded by Ald. Kriescher and carried that the
STOP condition on eastbound Emilie Street at Monroe Avenue be removed, and
adopted by ordinance.
3.
Request by the Traffic Engineer to remove the STOP condition on
eastbound Grignon Street at Monroe Avenue.
D.
Hansen stated that the reasons for the Grignon St at Monroe Av STOP sign
removal are the same as the Emilie St at Monroe Av STOP sign removal.
A
motion was made by M. Schuster, seconded by Ald. Kriescher and carried that the
STOP condition on eastbound Grignon Street at Monroe Avenue be removed, and
adopted as ordinance.
4.
Request by the Department of Public Works to designate Donald Avenue as
a truck route.
D. Hansen
stated that Thrush St from Velp Av to its northerly terminus is currently under
reconstruction. Donald St intersects
with Thrush St about 600 feet north of Velp Av. During the public hearing process, residents expressed concern
over trucks damaging the new road and requested measures to deter trucks from
using Thrush St in the reconstruction effort.
As a result, geometric constraints to restrict trucks from maneuvering
the Thrush/Donald intersection will be constructed. D. Hansen stated that the land use surrounding Donald St is
commercial and the street has adequate pavement thickness to handle trucks.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by Lt. Florence and carried that Donald
Street be added to the official city truck route map and adopted by ordinance.
5.
Request by the Traffic Engineer to establish a YIELD condition for the
eastbound right-turn movement on Mather Street at Broadway.
D.
Hansen showed a map of the intersection and explained that the eastbound
right-turn movement is currently under signal control. The EB right turn and the NB left-turn
movements are the two heaviest traffic volume movements, are about equal, and
are about 10-20 times heavier than the other intersection movements. A YIELD sign for the EB movement would allow
better flow of traffic to downtown, especially during morning peak hours when
opposing movements are rare, and should reduce the number of rear-end
collisions (noted 7 crashes since Jan 2005, 2 of which could have been
prevented with YIELD sign). A pork chop
island exists between the through and right turn lanes, allowing that movement
to be controlled independent of traffic signal.
A
brief discussion took place about existing signal control for the right-turn.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by M. Kuepers and carried that, on
a 90-day trial, to establish a YIELD condition for the eastbound right-turn
movement on Mather Street at Broadway.
6. Request by Saint Mark Evangelical Church (1170
Thorndale) to change the NO PARKING DURING SCHOOL HOURS zone on the north side
of Thorndale Street from a point 70 feet west of Oneida Street to a point 300
feet west of Oneida Street to NO STOPPING OR STANDING 7 A.M. - 4 P.M. SCHOOL
DAYS, BUS LOADING ONLY.
D. Hansen explained that the school
requested DPW-Traffic to change the NO PARKING zone to a bus loading zone
because of existing problems of parents parking in the bus loading zone. Additional on-street parking for parent
pick-up/drop-off is available. D.
Hansen spoke with Ald. Wery who stated his support of this request.
A motion was made by Lt. Florence,
seconded by M. Schuster and carried, that on a 90-day trial, to:
A.
Remove the NO PARKING
DURING SCHOOL HOURS zone on the north side of Thorndale Street from a point 70
feet west of Oneida Street to a point 300 feet west of Oneida Street.
B.
Establish a NO STOPPING
OR STANDING 7 A.M. - 4 P.M. SCHOOL DAYS, BUS LOADING ONLY zone on the north
side of Thorndale Street from a point 70 feet west of Oneida Street to a point
300 feet west of Oneida Street.
7.
Request by Ald. Zima, on behalf of neighborhood residents, to change the
2-WAY STOP condition of Eleventh Avenue at Seventh Street to a 4-WAY STOP
condition.
D.
Hansen showed photos of the intersection and summarized that the intersection
meets intersection sight distance criteria.
The intersection consists of 2 low volume residential streets (during
10-minute site visit on a Friday afternoon, 1 car was seen entering the
intersection). No reportable crashes
occurred at the intersection. Based on
this data, D. Hansen doubts that the intersection will meet the warrants of a
multi-way STOP condition and recommends that the existing 2-WAY STOP condition
remain in place.
Ald.
Zima spoke in support of a 4-WAY STOP and primarily spoke about:
·
Seventh St has become a
raceway and a cut-through street,
and
is too long for motorists not to stop
·
The neighborhood used
to be primarily elderly residents but has
recently turned over to more younger families
·
Has considered
switching STOP signs from Eleventh Av to Seventh St but that would “open up”
Eleventh Av for speeders
·
He agrees both streets
are low volume which lends to the opportunity to speed
·
Installing 4-WAY STOP
would discourage neighborhood cut-through traffic
A motion
was made by Ald. Kriescher, and seconded by C. Karow to suspend the rules and
allow interested parties to speak.
Brad
Moseng (888 Seventh St) spoke in support of a 4-WAY STOP condition. He lives on the corner of the intersection,
and has 4 children, one of which is a physically and mentally-challenged
11-year old daughter. Within the 4
corners of the intersection live 10 children.
An autistic child lives across the street. He has witnessed 8 instances this summer of speeders on Seventh
St. He would like traffic stopped, not
necessarily slowed.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, and seconded by M. Kuepers to return to
regular order of business.
A
lengthy discussion took place about police speed enforcement, the primary
purpose of STOP signs (to control traffic assignment, not speed), the
after-effects of installing unwarranted multi-way STOP conditions (increased
midblock speeds; motorists running STOP sign; increase in vehicle-pedestrian
crashes, increased noise), the existing low traffic volumes, the non-presence
of neighborhood disabled children signs, the benefits of traffic calming
improvements, gathering speed data, acceptable intersection sight distance, and
the effects of YIELD vs. STOP signs.
A
motion was made by M. Schuster, seconded by C. Karow and carried that the
request to change the 2-WAY STOP condition of Eleventh Avenue at Seventh Street
to a 4-WAY STOP condition be referred to DPW for speed study.
8.
Request by St. Mary’s Hospital to establish a NO LEFT TURN condition on
eastbound Shawano Avenue at Siegler Street from November 2007 until June 2009.
D. Hansen stated that Dean Kroll, Construction
Specialist with St. Mary’s Hospital, made the request to him and dropped off a
map showing the areas to be under construction starting in November. Construction activities will preclude all
traffic but construction vehicles from using the north approach of the
Shawano/Siegler intersection. The hospital
will not be able to barricade the west approach because construction vehicles
will access frequently. Therefore, the
hospital is requesting that a NO LEFT TURN condition be established until the
end of construction.
A discussion took place about non-construction guest
access during hospital construction, requiring the hospital to place work zone
traffic control signs as appropriate, closing off the hospital work zone with
fencing, the hospital notifying the public on revised access, and who should
pay for installing the NO LEFT and NO RIGHT TURN signs.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by C. Karow and carried that, on a
90-day trial, to:
A. Establish a NO LEFT TURN condition on
eastbound Shawano Avenue at Siegler Street from November 2007 until hospital
construction activities are finished.
B. Establish a NO RIGHT TURN condition on
westbound Shawano Avenue at Siegler Street from November 2007 until hospital
construction activities are finished.
C. Require St. Mary’s Hospital to install
and maintain proper work zone traffic control for closing the west approach of
Shawano Avenue and Siegler Street.
9.
Request by Ald. VanderLeest to review signage on northbound Military
Avenue just north of Lombardi Avenue to note pending merge condition.
D.
Hansen spoke in support of the request and shared a signing and marking
proposal.
A
discussion took place about the proposed LANE ENDS pavement arrow locations,
about preventing northbound vehicles from entering the southbound lanes at the
median opening across from the IDS building driveway, and of eyewitness accounts
of the merging condition confusion.
A
motion was made by C. Karow, seconded by Ald. Kriescher and carried to install
the following:
A. Remove 3 existing LANE ENDS MERGE LEFT
warning signs from northbound Military Avenue.
B. Install 2
LANE ENDS MERGE LEFT warning signs on northbound Military Avenue just south of
driveway to the IDS building.
C.
Place 2 Type 5 arrows
in rightmost northbound lane of Military Avenue, one south of driveway to the
IDS building, and one north of the driveway.
D.
Remove all ADDED LANE
warning signs on northbound Military Avenue at Military Access Road.
E.
Remove all ADDED LANE
warning signs on northbound Military Access Road at northbound Military Avenue.
F.
Install 1 ADDED LANE warning
sign in median between Military Avenue and Military Access Road.
G.
Install 1 KEEP RIGHT
regulatory sign facing northbound Military Avenue traffic in median just north
of driveway to IDS building.
10.
Request by the Traffic Engineer to remove the YIELD condition for the
southbound right-turn movement on the Hwy 41 exit ramp at West Mason Street.
D.
Hansen explained that the existing YIELD condition is not needed because the
off ramp right-turn lane continues westbound on Mason St into its own lane. A 350-foot white channelizing pavement mark
exists from the ramp to the west, meaning no vehicles are to make lane changes
within this zone. The existing YIELD
condition is likely to be contributing to the rear-end crashes that have
occurred in the right-turn lane.
C.
Karow explained that WisDOT has jurisdiction over the YIELD sign. Therefore, any request to modify it must go
through the Department.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by M. Kuepers that the request to
remove YIELD condition for the southbound right-turn movement on the Hwy 41
exit ramp at West Mason Street be referred to the Wisconsin Department of
Transportation. Motion carried with C.
Karow abstaining from the vote.
11.
Request by the Traffic Engineer to standardize signs in school bus
loading zones.
A
brief discussion took place about the process of replacing old signs.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by M. Schuster and carried the
request to standardize signs in school bus loading zones be approved.
12.
Request by Ald. Jeffreys to establish a YIELD or STOP condition at the
intersection of James and McDonald Streets.
D.
Hansen spoke with Ald. Jeffreys before the meeting who spoke with a
representative of Western Lime. All
three parties agree that a 2-WAY YIELD condition should be established on James
St at McDonald St.
A
brief discussion took place about adding a YIELD sign at a private driveway
that looks like a public street, and that the YIELD sign just reinforces the
state statute that all motorists exiting a private driveway must yield the
right-of-way to public street traffic.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by Lt. Florence and carried that, on a
90-day trial, to establish a 2-WAY YIELD condition on James Street at McDonald
Street.
13.
Request by Ald. Nicholson to add a left-turn green arrow to the traffic
signal on Main Street at Manitowoc Road.
D.
Hansen explained that Ald. Nicholson asked this item to be received and placed
on file.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by M. Kuepers and carried that the
request to add a left-turn green arrow to the traffic signal on Main Street at
Manitowoc Road be received and placed on file.
14. Request by Ald. Deneys to allow overnight
parking on all City streets.
Ald.
Deneys spoke of the inconveniences that the NO PARKING 3-5 AM ordinance places
on some residents. His main points
included:
·
The ordinance burdens
those with short driveways and single-stall garages
·
Many households have 3
vehicles with no place to park the third vehicle
·
They cannot park on the
grass without getting a ticket
·
There are no parking
choices for these residents
·
He receives many phone calls
against this ordinance frequently
·
Road sweeping/plowing
happens between 3-5 AM but maybe once a week
·
This is a citywide
problem
A lengthy discussion took place about:
·
That the ordinance has
been in place for decades
·
Overnight parking will
result in excessive towing during some street cleaning activities
·
City streets will turn
into parking lots especially near rental units
·
Homeowners must
consider their parking needs before buying homes
·
Consideration of
day-of-the-week even/odd house number on-street parking
·
Public safety benefits
are realized such as solving crimes and discovering abandoned vehicles
·
Many residents have
adjusted their lifestyles around this ordinance by finding other places to
park, expanding their garages, and seek variances through the board of appeals
·
The ordinance improves
the quality of life for all residents
·
Rescinding the
ordinance would “open the flood gates” with vehicles parked up and down our
streets
·
Consideration to allow
overnight parking by permit only (a recommendation to Ald. Deneys to contact
the Parking Utility about the feasibility of permit parking)
A motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by M.
Kuepers and carried that the request to allow overnight parking on all City
streets be received and placed on file.
15.
Request by Ald. Nicholson to review and replace YIELD signs with STOP
signs at the intersections of Juniper Drive and Fiesta Lane with Laura Street.
D. Hansen stated that 1 crash occurred at the
intersection of Fiesta La and Laura St, with the cause of the crash being a
failure to YIELD the right-of-way (the at-fault motorist was on a cell phone
and missed the sign). He stated that
the intersection could have had a STOP or a signal and the motorist most likely
would have failed to YIELD. He
summarized the traffic volumes that were typical of 2 low volume residential
streets not in need of any signed traffic control. D. Hansen recommended the intersection traffic control at both
intersections remain in place.
A motion was made by C. Karow, seconded by M.
Kuepers and carried that the request to review and replace YIELD signs with
STOP signs at the intersections of Juniper Drive and Fiesta Lane with Laura
Street be received and place on file.
16.
Request by Ald. Wiezbiskie for the installation of a sidewalk on the
south side of University Avenue from Humboldt Road to St. Anthony Drive be
referred to the Traffic Commission for study and recommendation. (Referred by Improvement & Service
Committee on August 28th, 2007)
Ald. Kriescher stated that Ald. DeWane would like this
item postponed to the next Traffic Commission meeting.
A motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by M.
Schuster and carried that the request for the installation of a sidewalk on the
south side of University Avenue from Humboldt Road to St. Anthony Drive be
referred to the Traffic Commission for study and recommendation be postponed
until the October 22, 2007 Traffic Commission meeting.
17.
That, on a 90-day trial, to establish a 1-WAY YIELD condition on O’Brien
Street at Reed Street.
A motion was made by Ald. Kriescher,
seconded by M. Kuepers and carried that a 1-WAY YIELD condition on O’Brien
Street at Reed Street be established and adopted by ordinance.
18.
That, on a 90-day trial, to establish a 1-WAY YIELD condition on
Colonial Avenue and Tilkens Street.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by M. Kuepers and carried that a
1-WAY YIELD condition on Colonial Avenue and Tilkens Street be established and
adopted by ordinance.
There being no other items of discussion, a motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by M Kuepers and carried to adjourn from the regular orders of business. The meeting ended at 8:30 P.M. The next Traffic Commission meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 22, 2007 at 7:00 P.M.