HomeMy WebLinkAboutTSMinutes_2016_04_14BROOKINGS TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
City & County Government Center
Thursday, April 14, 2016
12:10 p.m.
The Brookings Traffic Safety Committee held its monthly meeting on Thursday, April 14,
2016, at 12:10pm in the City & County Government Center Suite 230, Room 241.
Members Present: Skip Webster, Jackie Lanning, Gary Gramm, James Weiss, Becky
Schmieding, Carol Rettkowski, John Howard, Gregg Jorgenson, and Brian Lueders.
Members Absent: Matt Bartley, Shayn Damm, Tim Heaton, Tony Sonnenburg, and Jeff
Miller.
Others Present:
Call to Order: Howard called the meeting to order. Webster / Gramm made a motion to
approve the minutes from the February 11, 2016 meeting. All present voted aye. Motion
passed.
Additions to Agenda: None
Old Business:
Discussion on a stop sign request at the intersection of 5th Street and 13th Avenue
The City Manager received a request from a concerned citizen asking the Traffic Safety to
look at this intersection. Lanning passed out a drawing of this area and the committee had
discussed stop signs at the intersection in the past. The last action the committee
recommended on 13th Avenue was to remove parking near driveways and the alley north of
5th Street. The committee noted that traffic seemed to be increasing in the area due to the
retail development in the area. Lanning stated there is a valley gutter on the north side of the
intersection that tends to slow traffic down and that some large boulevard trees on the south
east corner cause poor visibility on that corner. Schmieding asked where the stop signs
would go. Lanning would recommend putting the stop signs on 13th Avenue with the thru
traffic on 5th Street. Schmieding/Jorgenson made the motion to look at the accident data
and invite the property owners to the next month’s meeting for further discussion. All
present voted aye. Motion passed.
Discussion on pedestrian access from Dakota Prairie elementary school to Indian Hills
Addition
Lanning mentioned the Principal Gary Thomas brought this item up and would like the Traffic
Safety Committee to postpone this until the May meeting so he could attend. Item tabled.
New Business:
Discussion on a stop sign request at the intersection of 9th Street and 8th Avenue
Lanning mention this request came from a property owner in the neighborhood. He stated it
isn’t clear which vehicle has the right of way at the intersection and that cars drive at high
rates of speed. She mentioned there is a valley gutter on the east side of the intersection and
there are some boulevard trees that may cause visibility issues. She noted there were
vehicles parked on the east side of 8th Avenue, causing poor visibility for northbound vehicles
along with the trees. Lueders suggested inviting the property owners to the next meeting.
Schmieding would like to postpone this discussion until we see the impact of this intersection
when 9th Street is shut down for the SDSU project. Lanning suggested putting the item on
next month’s agenda to invite the property owners and also look at the accident data. Howard
asked the committee if one month will be enough time to evaluate this area. Weiss mentioned
we could bring the property owners in and ask them what they are noticing and then we could
further study the area if needed. Weiss/Webster made the motion to postpone this
meeting until May meeting, and invite the property owners and do further studying. All
present voted aye. Motion passed.
Discussion on removing parking on the north side of 2nd Street from the northeast corner of
2nd Street and 6th Avenue to 90’ east
Lanning passed out a map of this area. The request came from the street department and
they weren’t able to attend the meeting. They stated it was difficult for the street department
to get equipment out of their building when cars are parked along the north side of 2nd Street.
Schmieding/Webster made the motion to postpone this topic until the May meeting for
more information and to invite the property owners. All present voted aye. Motion
passed.
Discussion of traffic congestion at 6th street and I-29 on SDSU graduation day.
Howard mentioned in years passed traffic has been backed up on I-29 in the north bound
ramp past the right turn only lane and at least a mile on the shoulder of the interstate. He
stated the traffic light wasn’t long enough to let traffic through the intersection. Last year he
said the police department controlled the signal light. Lanning asked the committee what time
they would suggest to have police assistance and Howard said 9 AM. Weiss indicated that
graduation is on May 7th and there will be 3 graduation ceremonies with one at 10 AM, 1 PM,
and 4 PM. Lanning will talk to the Police Chief about if they would have staff available to
assist at controlling the signal light on 6th Street.
Member Reports:
Weiss mentioned if this committee would like a presentation about the parking changes on
campus he would arrange it.
Lanning mentioned the 6th Street construction project east of 22nd Avenue was delayed until
next year.
Lueders would like 17th Avenue South and 20th Street South looked at for a stop sign/signal
due to the amount of pedestrians. Lanning will have a traffic study done in May.
Schmieding stated traffic backs up at 8th Street and 8th Avenue all the way to Medary
Commons and was concerned if 9th Street was closed that the traffic would back up further.
She stated that as you drive south on 22nd Avenue that there is no turn lane into Larson Park
near Olwien Street. She said there was also another area on 8th Street South, heading west,
that there was no turn lane into Lewis Drug.
The next meeting is scheduled for May 12, 2016. Meeting adjourned.
Submitted by: Chris Larson