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BROOKINGS TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
City & County Government Center, Room 300
Thursday, August 8, 2019
12:10 p.m.
The Brookings Traffic Safety Committee held its monthly meeting on Thursday, August 8,
2019 at 12:10pm in the City & County Government Center, Room 300.
Members Present: Jackie Lanning, Tony Sonnenburg, Dave Erickson, Kacie Richard,
Charles Schnabel, Lewayne Erickson, Justin Bucher, Don Norton, Jake McGlade
Members Absent: Matt Bartley, Gary Gramm, Tim Heaton and Brian Lueders.
Others Present: Kirsten Girard, Dakota Prairie Elementary School Principal
Call to Order: L.Erickson called the meeting to order. He also introduced Jake McGlade,
new member of the Traffic Safety Committee.
Additions to Agenda: None.
Approval of Minutes: Norton/Perry made a motion to approve the minutes. All present
voted aye, motion passed.
Old Business:
Discussion on student drop off traffic on Larkspur Ridge Drive west of Dakota Prairie
School: Kirsten Girard described that she received phone calls regarding parents who
started using the Larkspur Ridge Drive area as a drop off zone after the curb ramps and
sidewalk to the school was installed. Parents were concerned about students crossing the
street when traffic does not stop. The school used a supervisor to encourage parents to
use the main loop off 26th Street South to drop off the students. D. Erickson said the traffic
is allowed to use Larkspur Ridge Drive and it was not a violation to let students off along
the curb. Girard also said they have educated parents not to use the bus drop off lane. L.
Erickson was concerned about students using the Larkspur since there were no
crosswalks and that the area was not a designated school drop off zone. Lanning
mentioned the main loop off 26th Street South was designed with a long stacking area for
vehicles to drop off students. Girard said the school could encourage parents to use the
designated loop for drop offs instead of Larkspur Ridge Drive. The members agreed th e
school’s loop road would be the safest option for students to be dropped off. The
committee also requested Lanning to investigate signage for Larkspur Ridge Drive to
discourage student drop offs.
New Business:
Request for crosswalk on 5th Street at the intersection with 7th Avenue:
Lanning described the request from the GAP teachers for a crosswalk on the west side of
the intersection for students walking between the 5th Street gym and the Methodist Church.
Schnabel said there is also a lot of traffic on 5th Street after church services. He said
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pedestrians generally walk across the street in the shortest path and don’t use the
crosswalk. Sonnenburg stated there is a crosswalk and stop sign on 5 th Street and 6th
Avenue providing a safer crosswalk due to the stop sign s. The committee discussed
signage options and whether the intersection of 5th Street and 7th Avenue would be a good
area to place a crosswalk. After further discussion, the committee recommended that
pedestrians use the existing crosswalk at the intersection of 5th Street and 6th Avenue near
the existing stop signs.
Request for temporary yield or stop signs at the intersection of Elmwood Drive and Lincoln
Lane South
Lanning described that the City has received complaints about increased traffic on Lincoln
Lane and Elmwood Drive, which appears to be due to the 22nd Avenue detour traffic.
Vehicles may be using Lincoln Lane to travel north and south around the project area. D.
Erickson said there was one accident at Elmwood Drive and Lincoln Lane in recent years
and the area didn’t appear to have a high number of accidents. L. Erickson said the
prevailing traffic seems to use Elmwood Drive and Lanning agreed. The group discussed
the City could try a temporary yield sign to designate which direction would have the right
of way. The signs could be made permanent if they seemed to be help identify the right of
way. The committee stated that the yield signs could be installed on Lincoln Lane at both
Elmwood Drive and Olwien Street. Norton/Schnabel made a motion to recommend
temporary yield signs on Lincoln Lane at Elmwood Drive and Olwien Street. All
present voted aye. Motion passed.
Member Reports:
Norton asked if Moriarty Drive was a through street and was concerned the side streets
along Moriarty Drive do not have stop signs. Lanning said she would check to see if it was
a through street. (Lanning checked the Major Street Plan and Moriarty Drive is designated
as a local street).
Perry asked about the bright white lights that shine from police cars during traffic stops. D.
Erickson described how the bright lights shine inside the vehicle being stopped so the
officer can see movement inside the vehicle for safety.
The next meeting is scheduled for September 12, 2019. Meeting adjourned.
Submitted by: Jackie Lanning