HomeMy WebLinkAboutTSMinutes_2012_05_12BROOKINGS TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
City Hall Meeting Room
Thursday, May 10, 2012
12:10 p.m.
The Brookings Traffic Safety Committee held its monthly meeting on Thursday, May 10,
2012, at 12:10pm in the City Hall meeting Room.
Members Present: Daryl Englund, Skip Webster, Carol Rettkowski, Louis Skubic, Jackie
Lanning, Jeff Miller, Pete Kirchhevel, Gary Gramm and Tim Heaton.
Members Absent: Tony Sonnenburg, Brian Lueders and Mike Fossum.
Others Present: Jeff Peters and New member John Howard.
Call to Order: Englund called the meeting to order. Webster / Skubic moved to approve the
minutes from the April meeting. All present voted aye.
Addition to Agenda: None
Old Business:
Request for no parking on the south side of 1st Street between Medary Avenue and 11th
Avenue. Lanning summarized the issues that people were concerned with on 1st Street east
of Medary Avenue. There are numerous vehicles that park on the south side of 1st Street
which makes it difficult to drive between Medary Avenue and 1st Street. There is no parking
on the north side of 1st street for 40 ft. to clear the stop sign area. The property owners are
hoping we can help the situation with no parking. The committee discussed if no parking
should be removed for one whole block or a shorter length. Lanning mailed a notice to all of
the property owners on 1st Street between Medary Avenue and 11th Avenue. The only
responses she received was from James Selleck and Jeff Peters. Peters lives at 1020 1st
Street and stated the street is quiet during the summer with the college students gone. He
stated there is a rental property on Medary Avenue with a single driveway. The tenants don’t
want to block each other’s vehicles in the driveway so they park on 1st Street. This creates
visibility problems and it is nearly impossible for emergency vehicles to drive through the
block. The east end of 1st Street near 11th Avenue has fewer rentals so the parking situation
is not as bad. Peters would like to see no parking on the south side of the whole block of 1st
Street. Miller’s concern is how the rest of the neighborhood would react if parking was
removed on the south side. Lanning stated there probably be the same cars parked on the
street but they will now be on the north side. Kirchhevel had conversations with Mr. Bartles
and Kelly Meyer and they stated they were in favor of the no parking. Lanning also stated one
option would be to remove parking during certain times of the day and asked the committee if
they thought that may be a better solution than taking parking off full time. Heaton said he
had seen traffic backed up because vehicles can’t turn onto 1st Street if there are vehicles
parked on both sides of the street. Skubic/Heaton made the motion to remove the parking on
the south side of 1st Street between Medary Avenue and 11th Avenue.
Discussion of possible 4-way stop signs at 5th Avenue and 3rd Street. Lanning gave a
summary about the possibility of this area warranting a 4-way stop sign. There were
temporary stop signs placed there in 2009 while the streetscape project was under
construction. The Traffic Safety committee discussed the possibility of making the stop signs
permanent after the streetscape project was completed. The committee determined that this
intersection has good visibility and low accident counts and did not warrant 4-way stop signs
and the intersection would be monitored. Lanning and the City Manager discussed the 4- way
stop sign issue and the possibility of removing the parking on 3rd Street east of 5th Avenue
near the Library and she suggested on waiting until the City/County bldg opens to see how
the traffic operates. Miller/Rettkowski made the motion to table the next to agenda items
until the June meeting.
New Business:
Discussion of possible removal of parking on the north side of 3rd Street between 5th Avenue
and 6th Avenue. . Miller/Rettkowski made the motion to table the next to agenda items
until the June meeting.
Discussion of the SDDOT reconstruction alternatives for 6th Street between 22nd Avenue and
I-29. Lanning passed out a map and went over the SDDOT reconstruction project for 2015
for 6th Street east of 22nd Avenue. The committee reviewed the proposed changes for 25th
Avenue. One DOT option removes a segment of 25th Avenue north of 6th Street. Lanning
mentioned the city would like to keep 25th Avenue open and also add a new intersection at
Sunset Ridge Road. This would give a couple options of traffic to get into the retail
businesses north of 6th Street. Howard commented he uses 25th Avenue and would like it to
remain open. He stated the traffic is terrible behind Jimmy Johns and the service road that
leads to Wal-Mart. Miller agreed with Howard and would like to see 25th Avenue widened on
the north side of 6th street so there is an east-bound turning lane.
The committee discussed the option of 25th Avenue as a north bound only street. Lanning
commented DOT proposes to move the signal at 25th Avenue to Sunset Ridge Road and
DOT anticipates a future signal for the west off ramp as well. Howard asked if the service
road would be removed and Lanning said yes. Webster asked how the traffic will flow to the
businesses along the road. Lanning pointed out there will be a small portion of service road
that will stay open for Perkins, Advance Auto Parts and Culvers. The rest of the service road
would be closed and driveways would exit to the back. DOT will be holding public meeting
they would like to propose a plan with City support. Englund said he agreed with the plan for
the south side of 6th Street and asked the committee members if they agree with the DOT
plan. Miller stated he agreed with the additional entrances but didn’t agree with making 25th
Avenue a one-way street and Englund agreed. Miller would like 25th Avenue widened and
leaving access as it is. The committee agreed. Englund would like to suggest to the DOT to
construct an overpass on 20th Street South to 34th Avenue. Gramm said this would take a lot
of pressure off 6th Street traffic.
Update on 2012 Street Projects
Lanning updated the committee on the street construction projects this year:
- N. 32nd Avenue project north of the Swiftel Center is on hold
- Medary Avenue from 6th Street to 15th Street South
- 25th Avenue and 10th Street
Member Reports:
The next meeting will be June 14th, 2012. Meeting adjourned.
Submitted by: Chris Larson