MINUTES
TRAFFIC
COMMISSION
Monday,
July 27, 2009
City
Hall, Room 310
5:30
pm
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairperson Brad Hopp, Vice Chairperson Matt
Kuepers, Alderman Andy Nicholson, Mark Schuster, and Lieutenant Brad Florence
MEMBERS ABSENT: Charles Karow (excused)
OTHERS PRESENT: Alderwoman Amy Kocha, Alderman Jerry Wiezbiskie, Alderman Thomas DeWane,
and Recording Secretary and Traffic Engineer Dave Hansen
1. Approval of the minutes from the June
22, 2009 Traffic Commission meeting.
A
motion was made by Ald. Andy Nicholson, seconded by Lt. Brad Florence, and
carried to approve the minutes from the June 22, 2009 Traffic Commission
meeting.
The remaining items were taken in this
order: 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 7, 6, 9, 10, 11,
and 2.
2. Review of the 2009 second quarter
serious/fatal traffic crashes within the City of Green Bay.
Lt. Florence handed out the report,
summarizing 1 fatal crash in the second quarter 2009 report.
Fatal crash summary: Sun Apr 19, 2009, 11:01 AM, 200 S Webster
Ave. Male bicyclist,
age 46, fatal, male vehicle motorist, age 57, no injury. Bicyclist was traveling northbound of the
west sidewalk. He turned into a driveway
apron and appeared to try to place his feet on the ground to wait before
crossing Webster Ave. The ground was
uneven and the bicyclist lost his balance and fell into the roadway. The bicyclist was run over by a vehicle that
was traveling southbound on Webster Ave.
Bicyclist BAC=0.354%. Motorist
was not injured and no alcohol detected from the blood draw. Weather consisted of light rain conditions.
A motion was made by M. Schuster, seconded by
M. Kuepers, and carried that the report of the 2009 second quarter
serious/fatal traffic crashes within the City of Green Bay be received and
placed on file.
3. Request by Ald. Wiezbiskie for
pedestrian control signage on new stop and go lights on Ontario Road and Mason
Street.
Dave Hansen, City Traffic Engineer,
stated that DPW will be installing traffic signals at the intersection of
Ontario Rd and E Mason St this year. The
traffic signal plans do not include pedestrian push buttons and signals because
there is no sidewalk on Ontario Rd approaching E Mason St. At the last Improvement and Service Committee
meeting, there was a request to install sidewalks at that location which was
received and placed on file because it was recommended that a comprehensive
pedestrian study be conducted rather than looking at just one location.
Ald. Wiezbiskie stated his safety concern of
pedestrians crossing this intersection.
He stated the I-43 district has grown to serve as an entertainment
center, not only an Industrial Center, leading to more pedestrians crossing E
Mason St. Sidewalk exists on the west
side of Ontario Rd north of Finger Rd but there is a gap between Finger Rd and
E Mason St where it is needed.
Pedestrians and bicyclists are crossing E Mason St at Ontario Rd.
D. Hansen stated that flexibility can be
designed into the traffic signal design to accommodate future pedestrian
signals and buttons, but that those items should not be installed unless the
sidewalk and curb ramps are in place. It
is not standard policy and practice to install one without the other.
Ald. Wiezbiskie stated that he wants the
pedestrian signals and buttons regardless of past standard practice. Crashes still occur at the intersection.
A discussion took place about the liability
of installing pedestrian signals and buttons without the curb ramps and
sidewalks, that such a pedestrian crossing would not be ADA compliant without
curb ramps, crossing pedestrians only across the east approach to avoid the
heavy northbound left-turn volume, the traffic signal construction schedule,
that sidewalk installation recommendations come from the Improvement &
Service Committee, that sidewalk study recommendation come from the Traffic
Commission, and ultimately Council approves or denies those recommendations.
A motion was made by Ald. Nicholson
to:
A.
Install
sidewalk on the west side of Ontario Road between Finger Road and East Mason
Street.
B.
Install
curb ramps from the north side of Finger Road to the south side of East Mason
Street along Ontario Road.
C.
Install
pedestrian signals and push buttons for pedestrians crossing East Mason Street
as part of the new traffic signals scheduled for installation at the
intersection of East Mason Street and Ontario Road.
M. Schuster questioned if the
pedestrian signals are warranted. D.
Hansen responded that the traffic count summary indicated that pedestrians
cross E Mason St at Ontario Rd.
Motion seconded by Lt. Florence and
carried.
4. Request by Ald Wiezbiskie to replace
YIELD sign on Beth Drive with STOP sign at intersection of Robert Lane and Beth
Drive.
D. Hansen spoke in favor of the
request based on the intersection geometry, specifically for westbound
motorists looking northbound, which has an angle greater than 90 degrees.
A motion was made by Ald. Nicholson,
seconded by M. Kuepers, and carried that, on a 90-day trial, to:
A.
Remove
the 2-WAY YIELD condition on Beth Drive at Robert Lane.
B.
Establish
a 2-WAY STOP condition on Beth Drive at Robert Lane.
5. Request by Ald. DeWane to install NO
LOITERING signs under the existing NO PARKING signs on Wesley Drive from
Wildwood Drive to Newberry Avenue.
D. Hansen stated that he spoke with
Ald. DeWane about this request, and it originated based on loitering reports
from residents near the adjacent conservancy area along Wesley Ave just south
of Newberry Ave. Such signs make it
easier for the police to enforce loitering activity.
A motion was made by M. Kuepers,
seconded by Ald. Nicholson, and carried to install two NO LOITERING signs in
the 300 block of Wesley Avenue.
6. Request by the Green Bay Police Department
to eliminate the crossing guard at Cass/Webster and to move the crossing guard
assignment from Eliza/Webster to Porlier/Webster.
D. Hansen supported
the crossing guard removal at Cass/Webster since all children that cross are
assisted by adults. He stated that Ald.
Theisen (not present) discussed moving the Eliza/Webster crossing guard to
Porlier/Webster with him, but had concerns because he didn’t think that by just
moving the guard that the children will walk an extra block to cross Webster
Ave. Ald. Theisen also questioned why
other locations that may be within 1 block of a traffic signal are not
considered as part of this request. D.
Hansen explained that 2 crossing guards work the Eliza/Webster intersection,
with the second guard being added after a vehicle-child pedestrian crash in Dec
2008. But according to the police report
and his discussions with the reporting officer, the child darted out into
Webster Ave and was at fault in the crash.
A discussion took place about using cones in the street to help calm
traffic near crossing locations. He stated that it may be safer to cross
children at a traffic signal, but agreed with Ald. Theisen’s
concern about getting students to cross 1 block further away. Lt. Florence stated they had success in
moving a guard from Ashland/3rd to Ashland/5th a couple
of years ago. He assured that student
education would be part of the training process to get students to cross at
Porlier St.
A discussion took place about
current and proposed traffic cone placement procedures and in-street pedestrian
crossing signs.
A motion was made by M. Schuster to
approve the request to eliminate the crossing guard at Cass/Webster and to move
the crossing guard assignment from Eliza/Webster to Porlier/Webster.
A discussion took place about the
school crossing educational process when guard locations are changed. Weekly newsletters, direct student and parent
contact, community police and interns were all discussed.
The motion was seconded by M.
Kuepers, and carried.
7. Request by Ald. Wery for a crossing
guard study for Franklin Middle School - specifically the Mason/Oneida,
Mason/Meacham and Oneida/Lore Lane intersections - to coincide with the School
District’s request for studies at other middle schools in the City.
A discussion took place that school
crossing guards are normally placed at locations that cross elementary
students, not middle or high school. If
they are placed to cross middle and high school students, then others fund
them, not the City. The discussion
continued that W Mason St is a busy street; about the funding, benefits, and
crossing guard labor union, that guards are sometimes used at traffic signals,
that the circumstances of this request are different from those in Item 12,
more specifically, that a temporary crossing guard will work the Item 12
intersections in place of busing students across Mason St, a designated hazard
route at those particular intersections.
A motion was made by M. Schuster,
seconded by M. Kuepers, and carried that the request for a crossing guard study
for Franklin Middle School - specifically the Mason/Oneida, Mason/Meacham and
Oneida/Lore Lane intersections - to coincide with the School District’s request
for studies at other middle schools in the City, be denied because school
crossing guards have not historically been funded by the City for middle and
high school students.
8. Request by Ald. Kocha
to review the intersection-control signage at Bellevue Street and Deckner
Avenue, specifically, northbound on Bellevue Street.
D. Hansen showed multiple photos of
the northbound approach to the Bellevue/Deckner intersection. He pointed out the existing beam guard at
the head of the T-intersection. It was
recently hit and repaired. After repair,
D. Hansen ordered DPW staff to remove the red end-of-road diamond marker that
was attached to the midpoint of the beam guard and replace it with a
two-direction large arrow sign, in line with, and at approximately a right
angle to, northbound approaching traffic.
This was done to provide the motorist with an adequate message to react
to the intersection configuration whereas a red diamond only indicates that a
road ends. He continued that there is a
high northbound to eastbound movement.
The existing STOP sign post on Bellevue St has a retro-reflective strip
along its entire length, making the STOP condition very noticeable, especially
at night.
Ald. Kocha
asked if an unmovable barrier(s) could replace the beam guard. D. Hansen responded that beam guard is the
preferred barrier because it is intended to attenuate a crash, lessen injury to
the motorist, and likely stop an errant vehicle before crashing into whatever
object the beam guard is protecting.
M. Schuster asked if the existing
barrier is reflectorized. D. Hansen referred to a photo of the barrier,
pointing out the diagonal white/orange markings that are affixed to the face of
the beam guard. M. Schuster questioned
if there are other ways to make the beam guard more visible. D. Hansen recommended a highly
reflectorized sheeting intended to be mounted inside
the horizontal channel of the beam guard.
He continued that the two-direction large arrow sign is quite large and
very bright and easy for nighttime motorists to see, a big improvement over the
red diamond that used to be there.
M. Kuepers asked if the STOP sign
has a flashing beacon or is a blinker sign.
D. Hansen responded no, and that those types of signs that flash 24
hours a day in neighborhoods are a nuisance to adjacent property owners, especially
at night. The treatments in place, he
believes, are more than adequate for notifying motorists of the upcoming STOP
condition.
B. Hopp asked if small reflectors a
few feet above the ground on posts would improve visibility of the beam guard, something
different than the standard yellow double arrow sign. D. Hansen responded that the reflectorized sheeting mounted inside the horizontal
channel of the beam guard would provide the best visibility and since it is a
new “tool in the toolbox”, is different than the standard yellow colored
marking and would be more noticed by motorists.
A motion was made by M. Schuster,
seconded by Ald. Nicholson, and carried to install reflectorized
material on the existing beam guard assembly at the intersection of Bellevue
Street and Deckner Avenue.
Ald. Nicholson left the meeting just before 6
PM to attend another meeting.
A brief discussion took place that the motion
was intended to be general so that if one method of reflectorization
does not work that another could be tried.
9. Request by Ald. Jeffreys to install a
loading zone on Cherry Street, on the south side of the street between the
alley and the riverfront.
D. Hansen stated the request initially came
from a resident living in the Riverfront Lofts who claims there is no place for
service vehicles to park when they work at the lofts. D. Hansen stated that he and Ald. Jeffreys
met on Cherry St near the lofts to review the parking situation. He stated that the area is very limited for
on-street parking due to the narrowness of Cherry St with the existing NO
STOPPING OR STANDING zone among other restrictive parking zones close by. He
explained that the location being requested for a loading zone could produce
many future issues given it butts up to one of the future City Deck entrances
and is across from both the only access point to the lofts and to an emergency
exit from the Nicolet Bank. He showed
photos of the area with his vehicle parked in the requested loading zone area
showing the potential issues and a nearby fire hydrant. He recommended that a potential onsite
loading zone and prospective parking area within the wide alley between the Fox
River and Washington St rather be considered.
A discussion took place about the other
solutions available, dumpsters that exist in the alley, that allowing parking
in this area would narrow up an already narrow street, proximity to City Deck,
and potential Fire Dept concerns.
A motion was made by M. Kuepers,
seconded by Lt. Florence, and carried:
A.
That
the request to install a loading zone on Cherry Street, on the south side of
the street between the alley and the riverfront, be denied.
B.
That
the Traffic Engineer discusses other parking options available for tenants of
the Riverfront Lofts with Alderwoman Celestine Jeffreys.
10. Request by Ald. VanderLeest to add
left-turn traffic signal arrows on West Point Road at Packerland Drive.
D. Hansen stated that the condition of the
underground traffic signal system at this location consists of 2-inch steel
conduit which is in poor condition and is too narrow and fragile for new cable
to be installed to accommodate the addition of an eastbound left-turn
arrow. This traffic signal is scheduled
to be upgraded in 2010. When traffic
signals are reconstructed, upgrades such as adding left-turn arrows are
considered as part of the design process.
A discussion took place if West
Point Rd is wide enough to add left-turn lanes, if the eastbound left-turn
movement is warranted, that recent school time traffic counts were conducted,
and that this request will be satisfied prior to reconstructing the signal next
year.
A motion was made by M. Schuster,
seconded by Lt. Florence, and carried that the request to add left-turn traffic
signal arrows on West Point Road at Packerland Drive be received and placed on
file because an evaluation to install left-turn arrows is planned to be
completed when the traffic signal is reconstructed in 2010.
11. Request by Ald. VanderLeest, on behalf of
residents on St. Agnes Drive, to place additional signs on the Lombardi Avenue
frontage road to prohibit jake braking.
D. Hansen stated that NO ENGINE BRAKING signs
are normally placed along designed heavy truck routes at major entry points to
the City. He considers the requested
location one of these locations.
A motion was made by Lt. Florence,
seconded by M. Kuepers, and carried to install a NO ENGINE BRAKING WITHIN CITY
LIMITS sign along northbound South Military Avenue Access near the south city
limits.
POSTPONED FROM
PREVIOUS MEETING
12. Request by the Green Bay Area Public
Schools for crossing guard studies at the intersections of Mason/Alpine (Edison
Middle), I-43/Mason Southbound Ramp (Edison Middle), and Mason/Country Club
(Lombardi Middle and Southwest High).
D. Hansen summarized the discussion that took
place at the last Traffic Commission meeting on this subject.
A discussion took place about when school
year crossing guard locations are established, about the temporary crossing
guards that the school district will pay for at all three locations, and that
the crossing guard studies will take place when those temporary guards are in
place.
A motion was made by M. Schuster
that the request for crossing guard studies at the intersections of Mason/Alpine
(Edison Middle), I-43/Mason Southbound Ramp (Edison Middle), and Mason/Country
Club (Lombardi Middle and Southwest High) be referred to DPW for study after
school starts this year.
A motion was made by Lt. Florence, and
seconded by M. Kuepers to suspend the rules and allow interested parties to
speak.
Mike Donart, Transportation Director, Green
Bay Area Public Schools, stated that there has been a discussion between the
school district and Green Bay Metro about having 1 bus available. They will know if the bus will be active
towards the end of September and this decision will be made based on the
requested ridership.
M. Kuepers stated concerns about students
walking on the south frontage road of W Mason St between Country Club Rd and
Packerland Dr. M. Donart responded that
the students have walking this path in the past. M. Kuepers stated that more students will add
to this existing pedestrian route. M.
Donart stated that large groups of pedestrians are easier seen by motorists and
more safe. D. Hansen stated that
sidewalks exist in the 3 Sisters subdivision, one street network that leads to
Lombardi Middle. He continued that
sidewalks, crosswalks, and pedestrian signals will be added at all locations
for safety improvement.
A motion was made by M. Kuepers, and
seconded by Lt. Florence to return to regular order of business.
B. Hopp stated there was a motion on
the floor. Lt. Florence stated the study
should be completed within the first week or so of school to assure that
motions can make it through the Commission and Council process. D. Hansen replied that if the motion passes
that DPW can complete the crossing guard studies within the first week of
school.
The original motion was seconded by
M. Kuepers and carried.
A brief discussion took place that the
earliest date that a Commission motion will be considered by Council is in
early October. M. Donart stated that the
school district is prepared to fund the temporary crossing guards for an additional
month if Council doesn’t take the item up until October.
TERMINATION
OF TRIAL PERIODS
None.
There
being no other items of discussion, a motion was made by M. Kuepers, seconded
by M. Schuster, and carried to adjourn from the regular orders of
business. The meeting ended at 6:50
P.M. The next Traffic Commission meeting
is scheduled for Monday, August 24, 2009, in Room 310 at 5:30 P.M.