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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-8-2019 Traffic Parking Advisory Bd MinutesCommittee Name: Traffic & Parking Advisory Board Date: 10/8/19 City Hall, Room 404 1 1 Attendees: Absent: Jim Collins, Transportation Director Bob Poeschl, Council Jim Stapel, Board Marlene Binder, Secretary Ross Wandschneider, Board Dan Scieszinski, Board Daniel Becker, Chairman William Christianson, Board Steve Haas, Vice-Chairman Topic Speaker Discussion Actions Call to order Meeting Minutes Dan Becker A letter from Dr. Vickie Cartwright, superintendent of the Oshkosh Area School District, was distributed to all Board members before the meeting. Dan Becker called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. The minutes from the 8/13/19 meeting were accepted. 1st: Dan Becker 2nd: Bill Christianson Agenda Items A request for unrestricted parking on Sterling Ave., south side, from Jefferson St. to 87 feet west (Current Condition; 1 hr. pkg. between 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri.) Jim Collins Jim Collins said the owner of the building requested longer term parking for his tenant. He explained the restriction was put in place in 2009 when a resident requested it because he was having difficulty backing his boat in the driveway. Bob Poeschl remembered this item from when he was on the Board in 2009. He said at that time there was a house on the corner but Google Maps shows the house has been removed and is now a vacant lot. He asked if the neighbors were notified. Jim said they were and no concerns were expressed. 1st: Dan Becker 2nd: Bob Poeschl Carried: 5-0 Committee Name: Traffic & Parking Advisory Board Date: 10/8/19 City Hall, Room 404 2 2 Topic Speaker Discussion Actions A request to update parking regulations in the former Smith School area as follows: Oregon Street Remove therefrom: No parking, west side, from 18th Ave. to 105’ north between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. school days No parking, west side, from 19’ north of 16th Ave. to 16th Ave. Loading zone, east side, from 60’ south of 16th Ave. to 78’ south of 16th Ave. Loading zone, west side, from 105’ north of 18th Ave. to 457’ north of 18th Ave. between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. school days Oregon Street Add thereto: No parking, west side, from 16th Avenue to 50’north Arizona Street Remove therefrom: No parking, west side, from 18th Ave. to 140’ north between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on school days Loading zone, east side, from 18th Ave. to 19th Ave. Loading zone, east side, from 18th Ave. to 150’ north of 18th Ave., between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on school days 18th Avenue Remove therefrom: No parking, south side, from Oregon St. to 76’ east, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on school days No parking, south side, from Arizona St. to 45’ west, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on school days No parking, north side, from Arizona St. to 62’ west, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on school days No parking, stopping, standing or waiting, north side, from Oregon St to 150’ west between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on school days Handicapped parking, north side, from 180’ west of Oregon St. to 200’ west of Oregon St. Loading zone, north side, bus loading only, from 200’ west of Oregon St. to Arizona St, between 7:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on school days Committee Name: Traffic & Parking Advisory Board Date: 10/8/19 City Hall, Room 404 3 3 Topic Speaker Discussion Actions A request to update parking regulations in the former Smith School area continued Jim Collins Bob Poeschl Jim Collins told there is no need to add the no parking on Oregon Street, west side, from 16th Avenue to 50’ north. He explained the restriction was supposed to be from 16th Avenue to 50’ south but it isn’t necessary as there is a bus stop located here therefore; there already is no parking within 50’ of the bus stop. He also said the no parking, west side of Oregon Street, from 16th Avenue to 19’ north should not be removed because it is needed for visibility at the corner. Bob Poeschl moved to amend this item to remove the two items under the Oregon Street heading: 1. No parking, west side, from 19 feet north of 16th Ave. to 16th Ave. 2. No parking, west side, from 16th Avenue to 50’ north Bob Poeschl clarified that by removing these parking restrictions, parking would then be unrestricted in those areas. Mr. Collins confirmed this was correct. Amend Item 1st: Bob Poeschl 2nd: Dan Becker Carried: 5-0 Amended Item Carried: 5-0 A request for no parking on West 23rd Avenue, south side, from 77 feet east of Minnesota Street to 184 feet east of Minnesota Street (Current Condition: No parking restriction) Jim Collins Jim Collins said this request comes from Oshkosh Corp. He said they have military vehicles with limited visibility exiting their plant from a garage door at this location. He said vehicles are parking right up to the driveway making it difficult to see conflicting traffic. 1st: Dan Becker 2nd: Bob Poeschl Carried: 5-0 Committee Name: Traffic & Parking Advisory Board Date: 10/8/19 City Hall, Room 404 4 4 Topic Speaker Discussion Actions A request for a 2 or 4- way stop intersection at the intersection of West 11th Avenue and Minnesota Street (Current Condition: Minnesota Street yields to West 11th Avenue) Jim Collins Sgt. Bittner Joe Washburn Jim Collins told with the closing of Smith School there are more students attending Jefferson School. He said he has observed increased traffic causing this area to become more congested and the intersection sometimes functions as a 4-way stop intersection. He explained the warrants for a 4-way stop intersection and said although most are not met, the warrant for other considerations which include the need to control vehicle-pedestrian conflicts near locations that generate high pedestrian volumes could be met. He told the yield signs were temporarily replaced with flagged stop signs until this Board and City Council could take up this issue. He said a 2-way stop is warranted and he could also support converting this intersection to a 4-way stop based on the volume of pedestrian traffic before and after school. The rest of the day this is not a busy intersection. Sgt. Bittner said he observed this area before school and discussed his findings with the chief of police. He said OPD recommends a 4-way stop intersection and that someone may still need to help the students cross here. He told there are crossing guards at 9th/Minnesota, 11th/Oregon and South Park/Minnesota. Joe Washburn, of 317 W. 11th Avenue, stated 11th and Minnesota was congested before but now with the addition of Smith School students coming from further away, there are even more vehicles. He said a crossing guard is ideally what is needed but the 4-way stop should help. He agreed traffic is much less when kids aren’t coming and going from/to school but children play on the school playground at different times. He said without a stop sign vehicles sometimes fly down the street at 45 mph. Committee Name: Traffic & Parking Advisory Board Date: 10/8/19 City Hall, Room 404 5 5 Topic Speaker Discussion Actions A request for a 2 or 4- way stop intersection at the intersection of West 11th Avenue and Minnesota Street (Current Condition: Minnesota Street yields to West 11th Avenue) Continued Dr. Cartwright Joe Washburn Bob Poeschl Dan Becker Dr. Vickie Cartwright, superintendent of the Oshkosh Area School District, said she submitted a letter today formally requesting a 4-way stop intersection. She expressed appreciation for the 2 temporary stop signs that replaced the yield signs here. She pointed out the car pictured on the screen in Google Maps was already past and into the crosswalk area. She explained that motorists traveling on Minnesota Street are having a difficult time getting through the intersection which is resulting in parents picking up their students in undesignated areas as well as students crossing in areas without crosswalks. She continued to explain that with a 4-way stop intersection, vehicles would slow down and be able to see the children. She told that because of the urgent situation, currently school staff is helping students safely cross however; that is not sustainable because that person is needed to supervise another area of the school. She asked the first reading be waived and requested a crossing guard at this intersection. She stated she expects an increase in the number of vehicles in the area to drop off / pick up students in the upcoming winter months. Joe Washburn added that there is a tree obscuring the stop sign on Minnesota Street at 11th Avenue. Jim Collins said he would check into this matter. Bob Poeschl inquired about adding another crossing guard here and if other measures such as flashing lights could make it safer. Sgt. Bittner said there were already three crossing guards for this school which is more than most. Jim Collins explained we need to see how the stop signs work before pursuing more expensive options. Dan Becker requested the second reading at council be waived to move this item through the process more expeditiously. Committee Name: Traffic & Parking Advisory Board Date: 10/8/19 City Hall, Room 404 6 6 Topic Speaker Discussion Actions A request for a 2 or 4- way stop intersection at the intersection of West 11th Avenue and Minnesota Street (Current Condition: Minnesota Street yields to West 11th Avenue) Continued Bob Poeschl Jim Collins Officer Bettner Jim Collins Bob Poeschl Bob Poeschl asked if 10th Avenue at Minnesota Street is a challenging intersection as well. Jim Collins replied he observed the area and 11th/Minnesota is of more concern due to the volume of vehicles and pedestrians and it near the main entrance. He said recently there has been more traffic on Minnesota Street because Oregon Street has been under construction. He recommended waiting to see what effect the 4-way stop signs and the reopening of Oregon Street will have on the area and then evaluating if further measures are warranted. Officer Bittner said from an OPD standpoint he would like to see stop signs at 10th Avenue. He explained there is a crossing guard at 9th/ Minnesota and there will be a 4-way stop at 11th/Minnesota but kids won’t go out of their way to walk to those and doesn’t see harm stop signs would do. Jim Collins explained that unwarranted signs te nd to be disobeyed which creates a safety concern. He said he would like to see how traffic is after the 4-way stop is installed and Oregon Street is reopened. He told 10th/Minnesota will most likely not meet the stop sign warrants and there has only been one crash in five years here. He told this crash involved a semi that cut the corner too short & backed into the vehicle behind it. Bob Poeschl said he thought there was also a problem at 10th/Minnesota. He said he thinks if we evaluate one intersection we should evaluate all of them especially with the increased traffic at this school. Recommend 4-way stop 1st: Dan Becker 2nd: Bob Poeschl Carried: 5-0 Committee Name: Traffic & Parking Advisory Board Date: 10/8/19 City Hall, Room 404 7 7 Topic Speaker Discussion Actions Dr. Cartwright Joe Washburn Jim Collins Dr. Cartwright requested an expeditious review of the 10th/Minnesota intersection. Joe Washburn said he thinks when the stop signs are installed on 11th Avenue/Minnesota traffic will increase on 10th/Minnesota. He said he agrees with the officer about installing stop signs at the intersection of Minnesota/10th. Jim Collins replied he would put this issue on the November TPAB agenda. Staff Statements Oregon Street Hazel Street Ceape/Convention Center North Pkg. Lot Jackson St. Safety Study Jim Collins Mr. Collins said Oregon Street would be open in the next couple weeks. He also stated Hazel Street is also close to completion, that they are finishing terrace restorations. He told the Ceape Avenue / Convention Center North Parking Lot is about 1/3 complete and should be done by the end of the month. Jim Collins said a kickoff meeting is planned at the end of the month for the Jackson Street Safety Study. He said there was a delay because one of the primary engineers left the firm so the project was reassigned. Adjournment Dan Becker The meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m. The next meeting will be held November 12, 2019. 1st: Bill Christianson 2nd: Ross Wandschneider