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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTSMinutes_2012_09_13 BROOKINGS TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE City & County Government Center Meeting Room Thursday, September 13, 2012 12:10 p.m. The Brookings Traffic Safety Committee held its monthly meeting on Thursday, September 13, 2012, at 12:10pm in the City & County Government Center, Suite 230. Members Present: Skip Webster, Carol Rettkowski, Louis Skubic, Jackie Lanning, Pete Kirchhevel, John Howard, Tim Heaton, Gary Gramm, James Weiss, and Tony Sonnenburg. Members Absent: Daryl Englund, Brian Lueders, Mike Fossum, and Jeff Miller Others Present: Megan McGee, Darin Schleicher, Dale Ulvestad, and Jeff Fritz Call to Order: Webster called the meeting to order. Howard/Gramm moved to approve the minutes from the August meeting. All present voted aye. Addition to Agenda: None. Old Business: Request for 4-way stop signs at the intersection of 1st Street and 16th Avenue and possible removal of parking near the intersection. Lanning passed out a drawing of this intersection to the committee and stated she received a request from a property owner suggesting a 4-way stop sign at this intersection. Skubic stated this is not a perfect intersection and asked if a 4-way stop would even be functional. Dale Ulvestad of 109 16th Avenue stated he didn’t think the 4-way stop sign would help the intersection. is going to fix anything. Megan McGee of 1433 1st Street, stated she has witnessed the vehicles parked up to the intersection, making it difficult for the vehicles to see oncoming traffic around the corner (to the north). Webster stated he didn’t think the stop sign would help much but removing parking may open the corner up to better visibility. Gramm and Lanning both agreed. Lanning stated the Police Department search showed there was only one accident in the last five years due which was due to a distractive driver. Lanning asked Officer Sonnenburg if removal of parking on the northwest corner of the intersection to the driveway at 103 16th Avenue would be too much removal? Ulvestad asked the committee if one parking spot could remain for visitors. Lanning described that the City Ordinance prohibits parking within 20 feet from a crosswalk. Kirchhevel suggested yellowing the curb in addition to installing signage. Skubic/Howard made a motion to remove parking for approximately 20 feet on the NW corner to the north and west of the crosswalk. All present voted aye. Motion passed. Request for 4-way stop signs at the intersection of Daktronics Drive and Prince Drive Jeff Fritz is employed by Daktronics and serves on a company safety committee. Fritz stated that Daktronics placed a stop sign on the north and west corners of the intersection of Daktronics Drive and Prince Drive, which are private streets onto the Daktronics Property. Fritz described that traffic had increased in this area especially in the mornings before work as well as the afternoons when employees are done for the day. He stated the vehicle flow is confusing as vehicles enter the intersection. He described that vehicles use the south driveway of the parking lot on the west side of Prince Drive and they drive northerly, which does not allow other vehicles to exit the other parking lot driveways. There is incoming traffic at nearly the same time the shifts are letting off. He stated the incoming traffic drives westerly on Daktronics Drive, making it difficult for the exiting vehicles to enter the street. Fritz felt the 4-way stop at this intersection would help with the traffic flow. Fritz was also concerned that traffic would increase when the east portion of 6th Street is reconstructed. During the construction project, Daktronics is going to encourage employees to find an alternate route. Gramm stated this area is mostly driven by Daktronics employees and he would agree with their safety committee’s request. Lanning stated the Police Department records search found no accidents have been reported in the last five years at this intersection. Lanning stated its harder to meet a warrant for multi-way stop sign applications. Lanning read Section 2B.07, Multi-way Stop Applications, of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The warrant that would pertain to this intersection is 2B.07D: “ An intersection of two residential neighborhood collector (through) streets of similar design and operating characteristics where multi-way stop control would improve traffic operational characteristics of the intersection.” In this case, the multi-way stop signs would allow all vehicles a gap in the traffic so vehicles can enter and exit from all legs of the intersection. Sonnenburg agreed that a 4-way stop sign would create better traffic flow. Howard/Rettkowski made the motion to install two stop signs at the intersection of Daktronics Drive and Prince Drive. All present voted aye. Motion passed. Request for reconsideration of parking restrictions on 17th Street South between 7th Avenue South and 9th Avenue South (see attached letter) Rescheduled for next month’s meeting New Business: Request for 4-way stop signs at the intersection of Christine Avenue and 12th Street South (see attached letter) Lanning received a letter from a resident in this area about concerns for visibility and children crossing the intersection. Lanning described that there is a lot of construction right now due to the Camelot Drainage Project. The Police Department records showed one accident at the intersection this year due to vehicle failing to yield. Lanning stated a number of trees were going to be removed with the storm sewer project which may improve visibility. She suggested looking at the intersection after all the construction work has been completed. Sonnenburg stated if law enforcement enforced the no parking ordinance within 20 feet from the crosswalk at this intersection that visibility should also improve. Webster would like to see this area monitored after the construction is completed. Heaton/Howard made the motion to table until a further date. All present voted aye. Motion passed. Member Reports: Discussion of congested parking near the intersection of 12th Street South and 17th Avenue South. The next meeting will be October 11th, 2012. Meeting adjourned. Submitted by: Chris Larson