HomeMy WebLinkAboutTSMinutes_2011_01_14BROOKINGS TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
City Hall Meeting room
Thursday, January 14, 2011
12:10 p.m.
The Brookings Traffic Safety Committee held its monthly meeting on Thursday, January 14, 2011, at
12:10pm in the City Hall meeting room.
Members Present: Carol Rettkowski, Skip Webster, Louis Skubic, Jackie Lanning, Jeff Miller, Brian
Lueders, Pete Kirchheuel, and Tony Sonnenburg.
Members Absent: Daryl Englund, Keith Bruinsma, Tim Heaton, and Mike Fossum.
Others Present:
Call to Order: Webster called the meeting to order. Lanning/Skubic moved to approve the amended
minutes from the January meeting. All present voted aye.
Addition to Agenda
Old Business:
Discussion on stop signs on Yorktown Drive and Westminster Drive at their intersections with
Christine Avenue. Webster stated the reason for this request is to slow down traffic and allow
children to cross at the crosswalks. Lanning stated visibility can be poor around those intersections
because cars will park all the way up to the radius, especially on Yorktown. Lanning had researched
the traffic sign warrants and asked if there were any accidents at either of those intersections. Larson
stated no accidents were on record in the last three years. Lanning went over the M UTCD stop sign
warrants. There haven’t had any problems with accidents, but this intersection does meet the stop
sign warrant of a residential street intersecting with a collector street, which is:
2B.04 Right-of-Way at Intersections
A. An intersection of a less important road with a main road where application of the normal
right-of-way rule would not be expected to provide reasonable compliance with the law
B. A street entering a designated through highway or street.
Sonnenburg thinks a stop sign at Yorktown makes really good sense to control traffic. Lanning asked
what the pedestrian traffic is like on Westminster Drive. Larson stated she is in this area everyday
and there are many children crossing at the intersections. Lueders/Rettkowski made a motion to
add stop signs at the intersection of Yorktown Drive and Westminster Drive at their
intersections with Christine Avenue. All present voted aye. Motion passed.
Discussion on request for 3-way stop sign at 11th Street and Medary Avenue.
Lanning explained to the group that this item is on the RSI inspection (Road Safety Inspection) list for
the Dept. of Transportation. The DOT traffic staff, Watertown engineer, Brookings DOT engineer,
City staff and the police department will tour intersections of Brookings to look at hazards. Lanning
stated since Medary Avenue is a very highly traveled street, the City should be extremely cautious
before a stop sign is installed and it would be good to get the DOT’s input. The DOT review is
important in case there is a severe accident and it would help cover liability issues if the stop is
studied carefully. Miller stated there is a lot of pedestrian traffic at that intersection and there is
certainly a potential for any kind of accident at that intersection. Lanning suggested a good time to
install a stop sign is when the college is on summer break. She indicated she would be more
comfortable having the DOT input knowing that we’re dealing with a high traffic street and the DOT
could help make the best decision. In case there would be a future accident, Miller suggested waiting
for that study. He stated if there is a change to the stop sign, the City could advertise it well and make
the change in the summer. Lanning/Skubic made the motion to table this item until after the RSI
tour. All present voted aye. Motion passed.
New Business:
Discussion on request for crosswalk on 3rd Street and 16th Avenue at Hillcrest School.
Lanning recommended eliminating the ramp leading from the south side of 3rd Street to the north on
the west side of 16th Avenue and she would prefer the children cross at 15th Avenue where there is a
stop sign, cross walk and a crossing guard. Sonnenburg agreed to remove the ramp. Lueders thinks
Gary Thomas, the Hillcrest principal, would be okay with that too and that perhaps the ramp should
be removed and grass planted in that location. Lanning stated if the committee approved removing
the ramp, she would write the adjacent property owner a letter about the ramp removal. Lueders
asked who would pay for the work and Lanning stated the City would just add it to the City’s concrete
project. Lueders/Skubic made the motion to remove the ramp on the west side of 16th Avenue
leading to the north. All present voted aye. Motion passed.
Review and approval of the 2010 Traffic Safety Annual Report..
Lanning reviewed the changes and the highlights of last year. Skubic/Lueders made a motion to
approve the 2010 Annual Report. All present voted aye. Motion passed.
Member Reports
Lanning wanted to let the committee know that the DOT is having an open house meeting at 5:30 to
6:30 pm on January 20th on the schematic street construction plans for 6th street from Division Ave. to
Main Avenue which is scheduled for 2013.
Rettkowski commented on the snow and that property owners are pushing it towards the street and
boulevards which is causing blind intersections. Lanning stated she will research it to see if that is a
an ordinance violation.
The next meeting will be February 10, 2011. Meeting adjourned.
Submitted by: Chris Larson