MINUTES
7:00 pm
MEMBERS PRESENT: Vice Chairperson Brad Hopp
(acting Chairperson for this meeting), Matt Kuepers, Charles Karow, Mark
Schuster, Cmdr. Lisa Sterr, and Ald. Gary Kriescher
MEMBERS ABSENT: Chairperson Judy Kuiper
(excused)
OTHERS
PRESENT: Ald. VanderLeest, and
Recording Secretary and Traffic Engineer Dave Hansen
1.
Approval of the minutes from the November 26, 2007 Traffic Commission
meeting.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by Cmdr. Sterr and carried to
approve the minutes from the November 26, 2007 Traffic Commission meeting.
2.
Request by Ald. DeWane, on behalf of residents, to change the 2-HOUR 7 AM
TO 7 PM MONDAY TO FRIDAY zone on Wesley Street from Newberry Avenue to Sandy
Lane to a 2-HOUR 7 AM TO 4 PM SCHOOL DAYS zone.
Dave Hansen, City Traffic Engineer, clarified that a
NO PARKING 7-6 MONDAY – FRIDAY zone exists rather than a 2-HOUR parking zone on
Wesley Av on its east side from roughly Newberry Av to Donarski Ct. Prior to the meeting he spoke with Ald.
DeWane, who stated that some of the residents want the 6 PM end limit changed
to 4 PM. D. Hansen has no objection to
the request, but recommended to modify the NO PARKING to a 2-HOUR zone instead
to keep consistent with other nearby zones that are effective in keeping
students from parking these streets full.
A
brief discussion took place about the effectiveness of a 2-HOUR zone during Preble
High School football games.
A motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by C.
Karow and carried that, on a 90-day trial, to:
A. Remove
the NO PARKING 7 AM TO 6 PM EXCEPT SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS zone on the east side
of Wesley Avenue from a point 180 feet south of Newberry Avenue to a point 178
feet south of Donarski Court.
B. Establish
a 2-HOUR 7 AM TO 4 PM SCHOOL DAYS zone on the east side of Wesley Avenue from a
point 180 feet south of Newberry Avenue to a point 178 feet south of Donarski
Court.
3.
Request by Ald. DeWane to allow 2-HOUR PARKING DURING SCHOOL HOURS 6 AM
TO 4 PM on Remington Road.
D.
Hansen stated that all nearby streets have either 1-HOUR or 2-HOUR parking
zones, while Remington Rd has no posted parking restrictions. Those nearby restrictions are in place to
discourage Preble HS students from parking the streets full. He had no objection to the request.
A
brief discussion took place about how far Remington Rd is from Preble HS and
that students don’t want to pay to park in the Preble HS lot.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by M. Schuster and carried that, on
a 90-day trial, to establish a 2-HOUR 7 AM TO 4 PM SCHOOL DAYS zone on
Remington Road from Savage Street to Deer Trail.
D.
Hansen requested Items 4-6 and 8 be taken last since Ald. VanderLeest told him
he would arrive late to the meeting but wanted to be present during discussion
of his requests. The remaining items
were discussed in this order: 7, 9-24,
4-6, and 8.
4.
Request by Ald. VanderLeest for an update on the Mason Street frontage
traffic study and for consideration to add a northbound right-turn lane at the
Hinkle and W Mason Street intersection.
D.
Hansen stated that the draft study is due back from the consultant by the end
of January 2008. The City will then
have a chance to comment on the report before the final report is
submitted. D. Hansen stated that DPW
discussed the proposal of adding a second northbound right-turn lane with the
consultant, and that that option was not favorable because it wouldn’t solve
the problem of backups on the frontage road.
He summarized that in order to improve that intersection that the
traffic volumes need to be decreased.
This could be achieved through constructing right-in right-out points
along W Mason St between Hwy 41 and Country Club Rd. Doing so could also improve the traffic issues at
Packerland/Mason/Frontage Roads. He
continued that if safety improvements are recommended in the final report that
DPW could attach that report to a safety grant application to the DOT. He added that there is a proposed summer of
2008 development near this intersection that will add more traffic to the
intersection. No road improvements are
planned because of it.
A discussion took place about the future development near the intersection, its proposed internal traffic flow and how it would impact the frontage road intersection, the pros and cons of adding a northbound right-turn lane, how motorists disrespect the frontage road STOP signs during a northbound green signal, and access control along W Mason St.
A
motion was made by M. Schuster, seconded by Ald. Kriescher and carried that the
request for an update on the Mason Street frontage traffic study and for
consideration to add a northbound right-turn lane at the Hinkle and W Mason
Street intersection be postponed until the February 25th meeting.
5.
Request by Ald. VanderLeest that the City work with the Green Bay School
District and Brown County to install traffic mechanisms to help traffic issues
on Packerland Drive.
D.
Hansen stated that city and county officials met back in the fall of 2007 to
discuss the installation of a traffic mechanism at the southern parking lot
exit from Southwest High School.
Signals were not recommended due to the low volumes outside the school
peak, but additional signs were placed shortly thereafter. He concluded based on recent on-site
observations (photos shown) that the primary reason students are having
difficulty exiting the parking lot is because they cannot see around vehicles
parking in the drop-off-pick-up lane on Packerland Dr in front of the
school. This could be solved by either
creating NO STOPPING OR STANDING zones near the driveways or by constructing bump
outs so that exiting drivers are given adequate sight distance to make safer
and shorter movements. He stated that
pedestrian safety is much better now than when he visited last year, citing
that the increased jaywalking and speed enforcement along with the upgraded
crosswalks at Trojan Dr have helped.
A
discussion took place about where buses used to park and where they currently
park, driver feedback signs, grant programs available excluding Safe Routes To
School (K-8 only), the County’s backing for improvements, proposed median
modifications including the “Florida left”, establishing NO LEFT TURN
conditions out of the parking lot, adding more exits from parking lot to other
streets, and that motorists and students need patience because clearing a full
parking lot takes time.
Ald.
VanderLeest arrived at 8:06 p.m. during discussion. He stated that he and Lt. Florence have talked about installing
blinking signs. He wants city staff to
initiate and work with the police department, school district, and the County
to discuss the traffic problems and solutions near Southwest High School.
A
motion was made by Ald. Kriescher, seconded by B. Hopp and carried that the
request the City work with the Green Bay School District and Brown County to
install traffic mechanisms to help traffic issues on Packerland Drive be
referred to staff for study.
6.
Request by Ald. VanderLeest for a traffic study to address school peak
issues at the Packerland Drive and West Point Road intersection, with possible
inclusion of left turn arrows.
D.
Hansen stated that the existing traffic signal has defective, non-working
traffic loops on the north, south, and east approaches. Once the weather warms up, they will be
fixed. But until then, the signal is
operating pre-timed. The West Point Rd
circular green time was increased to accommodate all east and westbound
vehicles, including school peaks that have their own timing plans. Before the loops are fixed, a left-turn
inclusion study could be conducted to determine proper signal operations. The most recent traffic counts at the
intersection were conducted in January and early June of 2003, both during the
school year.
Ald. VanderLeest
stated that eastbound left-turn arrows are needed because left-turners don’t
want to make a turn when opposing right-turners are making their turn.
A discussion took
place about the school peak backups on West Point Rd, that pedestrians are
mixed in with vehicles, that the existing lane configurations won’t accommodate
left-turn arrows in both eastbound and westbound directions, alternative signal
timing schemes including starting the eastbound traffic before westbound
traffic, establishing a westbound NO RIGHT ON RED during certain times of the
day, and near miss crashes.
A
motion was made by M. Schuster, seconded by Ald. Kriescher and carried that the
request for a traffic study to address school peak issues at the Packerland
Drive and West Point Road intersection, with possible inclusion of left turn
arrows be referred to staff for study.
7.
Request by Ald. Weber for a traffic study at the intersection of Ontario
Road and Voyager Drive due to a high number of crashes.
D.
Hansen presented the intersection crash summary, highlighting that 6 crashes
took place in 2007, and that the predominant crash type is a daytime, cloudy,
dry conditions eastbound collision with either a northbound or southbound
vehicle. The primary cause of these
crashes was a failure to yield by either an eastbound or a westbound driver,
with eastbound crashes outnumbering the westbound crashes. Older drivers were also involved in many of
the crashes. Back in Dec 2006, the City
upgraded the signing at the intersection, and had noted a drop in the crash
rate until the fourth quarter of 2007, when 4 of the 6 crashes took place. He noted that one of the STOP AHEAD signs
was missing, presumed stolen. He
recommended its replacement as well as installing 2 large STOP signs in each
direction on Voyager Dr at Ontario Rd.
A discussion
took place about the increase in traffic volumes within the I-43 Business
Center, motorists disobeying STOP signs, intersection sight distance, blinker
STOP signs, and that doubling up STOP signs has decreased crashes at Broadway/9th.
A
motion was made by M. Schuster, seconded by M. Kuepers and carried that DPW be
instructed to install 2 large STOP signs in each direction on Voyager Drive at
Ontario Road.
8.
Request by Ald. VanderLeest to review the W Mason Street at Taylor
Street intersection turn lanes.
A
discussion took place about the roundabouts proposed at the intersection as
well as the ramp intersections with Hwy 41, that traffic signals have outlived
their lifespan at the Hwy 41/Mason ramps, and how to travel a multi-lane
roundabout.
Ald.
VanderLeest said that the problem is motorists violating the NO TURN DURING
GREEN ARROW signs for southbound
to westbound right-turning vehicles. He
asked if larger stop bars could solve this problem.
Another
discussion took place about a recent enforcement sting to catch violators of
this sign, installing and operating right-turn red arrows, past crashes at the
intersection, staggering the stop bars, establishing a NO RIGHT ON RED
condition, and continued enforcement.
A
motion was made by B. Hopp, seconded by M. Kuepers and carried that DPW be
instructed to move the stop bar, during the spring of 2008, in the southbound
right-turn lane of Mason and Taylor Streets further south and to increase its
width.
9.
That, on a 90-day trial, to establish a YIELD condition for the
eastbound right-turn movement on Mather Street at Broadway.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow and carried that the a
YIELD condition for the eastbound right-turn movement on Mather Street at
Broadway be established and adopted by ordinance.
10. That,
on a 90-day trial, to 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.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow and carried that the
removal of 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 be adopted by ordinance.
11. That,
on a 90-day trial, to 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.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow and carried that 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 be established and adopted by ordinance.
12. That,
on a 90-day trial, to establish a NO LEFT TURN condition on eastbound Shawano
Avenue at Siegler Street from November 2007 until hospital construction
activities are finished.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow that the establishment of a
NO LEFT TURN condition on eastbound Shawano Avenue at Siegler Street from
November 2007 until hospital construction activities are finished be received
and placed on file.
13. That,
on a 90-day trial, to establish a NO RIGHT TURN condition on westbound Shawano
Avenue at Siegler Street from November 2007 until hospital construction
activities are finished.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow that the establishment of a
NO RIGHT TURN condition on westbound Shawano Avenue at Siegler Street from
November 2007 until hospital construction activities are finished be received
and placed on file.
14. That,
on a 90-day trial, to establish a 2-WAY YIELD condition on James Street at
McDonald Street.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow and carried that a 2-WAY
YIELD condition on James Street at McDonald Street be established and adopted
by ordinance.
15. That,
on a 90-day trial, to remove the PARKING BY PERMIT ONLY 7-4 SCHOOL DAYS zone on
the north side of Newberry Avenue from a point 200 feet east of Bader Street to
a point 30 feet west of Danz Avenue.
A motion
was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow and carried that the removal of
the PARKING BY PERMIT ONLY 7-4 SCHOOL DAYS zone on the north side of Newberry
Avenue from a point 200 feet east of Bader Street to a point 30 feet west of
Danz Avenue be adopted by ordinance.
16. That,
on a 90-day trial, to remove the NO PARKING zone on the north side of Newberry
Avenue from a point 30 feet west of Danz Avenue to Danz Avenue.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow and carried that the removal
of the NO PARKING zone on the north side of Newberry Avenue from a point 30
feet west of Danz Avenue to Danz Avenue be adopted by ordinance.
17. That,
on a 90-day trial, to establish a PARKING BY PERMIT ONLY 7-4 SCHOOL DAYS zone
on the north side of Newberry Avenue from a point 200 feet east of Bader Street
to a point 150 feet west of Danz Avenue.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow and carried that a PARKING
BY PERMIT ONLY 7-4 SCHOOL DAYS zone on the north side of Newberry Avenue from a
point 200 feet east of Bader Street to a point 150 feet west of Danz Avenue be
established and adopted by ordinance.
18. That,
on a 90-day trial, to establish a NO PARKING zone on the north side of Newberry
Avenue from a point 150 feet west of Danz Avenue to Danz Avenue.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow and carried that a NO
PARKING zone on the north side of Newberry Avenue from a point 150 feet west of
Danz Avenue to Danz Avenue be established and adopted by ordinance.
19. That,
on a 90-day trial, to remove the 2-HOUR PARKING zone on both sides of Emilie
Street from the Fox River to Monroe Avenue.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow and carried that the
removal of the 2-HOUR PARKING zone on both sides of Emilie Street from the Fox
River to Monroe Avenue be adopted by ordinance.
20. That,
on a 90-day trial, to remove the 2-HOUR PARKING zone on both sides of Grignon
Street from the Fox River to Jackson Street.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow and carried that the
removal of the 2-HOUR PARKING zone on both sides of Grignon Street from the Fox
River to Jackson Street be adopted by ordinance.
21. That,
on a 90-day trial, to establish a 2-HOUR PARKING zone on both sides of Grignon
Street from Monroe Avenue to Jackson Street.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow and carried that a 2-HOUR
PARKING zone on both sides of Grignon Street from Monroe Avenue to Jackson
Street be adopted by ordinance.
22. That,
on a 90-day trial, to remove the RESIDENTIAL PERMIT ONLY zone on both sides of
Reed Street from Oneida Street to Gray Street.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow and carried that the
removal of the RESIDENTIAL PERMIT ONLY zone on both sides of Reed Street from
Oneida Street to Gray Street be adopted by ordinance.
23. That,
on a 90-day trial, to establish a RESIDENTIAL PERMIT ONLY JUNE 1 TO AUGUST 31
zone on both sides of Reed Street from Oneida Street to Gray Street.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow and carried that a
RESIDENTIAL PERMIT ONLY JUNE 1 TO AUGUST 31 zone on both sides of Reed Street
from Oneida Street to Gray Street be established and adopted by ordinance.
24. That,
on a 90-day trial, to establish a NO U-TURN condition on South Point Road from
Whippoorwill Drive to West Point Road.
A
motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded by C. Karow and carried that a NO
U-TURN condition on South Point Road from Whippoorwill Drive to West Point Road
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 8:40 P.M. The next Traffic Commission meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 25, 2008 at 7:00 P.M.