HomeMy WebLinkAboutTSMinutes_2012_03_08BROOKINGS TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
City Hall Meeting Room
Thursday, March 8, 2012
12:10 p.m.
The Brookings Traffic Safety Committee held its monthly meeting on Thursday, March 8,
2012, at 12:10pm in the City Hall Community Room.
Members Present: Brian Lueders, Daryl Englund, Skip Webster, Carol Rettkowski, Louis
Skubic, Jackie Lanning, Jeff Miller, Pete Kirchhevel, and Tim Heaton.
Members Absent: Tony Sonnenburg and Mike Fossum.
Others Present:
Call to Order: Englund called the meeting to order. Rettkowski / Webster moved to approve
the minutes from the January meeting. All present voted aye.
Addition to Agenda: None
Old Business:
Discussion of midblock crosswalk on 17th Avenue South north of 12th Street South. Lueders
received this request from the principal of the Middle School. He agreed that it would not be
a very safe place for students to cross because of the high volume of traffic. Lanning would
like to encourage children to cross at the intersection for safety. She stated a signal will be
installed at 12th Street South and 17th Avenue South sometime in 2013. We would encourage
students to cross at the new signal location. Discussion on the midblock crosswalk and
no action taken. All present voted aye. Motion passed.
Discussion on 4-way stop signs at 17th Ave South and 15th Street South
Lanning received a call from a citizen that lives in this area asking for a 4-way stop at this
location. The police department indicated there have been no accidents reported at that
intersection in the past few years. Webster asked if there is a crossing guard at this location.
Larson stated there is a vacancy and that intersection does not have a crossing guard at this
time. Larson suggested when the signals are installed at the intersection of 12th Street South
and 17th Avenue South that she may move the crossing guard to 15th Street South and 17th
Avenue South. Miller stated if a 4-way stop sign was installed it might disrupt the flow of
traffic. Lueders suggested a study be conducted. Lanning stated an official study would
consist of pedestrian and vehicle counts at peak times. Lueders is in favor of a stop sign and
would like to know what the count is. Webster suggested we monitor this area first then the
numbers will present itself unofficially and if the traffic seems to increase then conduct a full
study. Miller volunteered himself to sit in this location in the April and May months and
monitor the area before and after school. Lanning recommended this topic be discussed in
June and going over the counts taken by Chief Miller.
New Business:
Request for no parking on the east side of 1st Street and Medary Avenue intersection.
Lanning passed out an aerial map showing the intersection of 1st Street and Medary Avenue.
She received a call from a citizen that lives east of Medary Avenue on 1st Street who stated
that vehicles park very close to Medary Avenue on the south side of 1st Street which makes it
very difficult to enter 1st Street. Lanning stated she lives in this area herself and has
witnessed the traffic issue. The north side of 1st Street has yellow curb for approximately 40
or 50 feet east of Medary Avenue. The south side of 1st Street tends to have numerous cars
parked which narrows the intersection making it hard to turn onto the street. An option would
have parking removed all the way to the first driveway east of Medary on the south side of 1st
Street. Another option would be remove parking to match the north side of no parking.
Englund suggested inviting the property owners to the next month’s meeting.
Member Reports:
Miller had a request from David Kneip the property owner at 600 blk of 1st Avenue to remove
parking. During the Arts Festival it is very congested and he has enough parking for his
tenants.
The next meeting will be April 12th, 2012. Meeting adjourned.
Submitted by: Chris Larson