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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRA BOARD MINUTES JULY 10_2012 TRAFFIC REVIEW ADISORY BOARD MINUTES JULY 10, 2012 4:00 P.M. PRESENT: Daniel Becker, Jef Hall, James Kaprelian, Gary Ross and Timothy Schuster ABSENT: Stan Kline and Donald Seybold STAFF: Christopher Strong, Transportation Director Jennifer Weigand, Recording Secretary CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Kaprelian called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr. Schuster moved to accept the June 12, 2012 minutes. Mr. Kaprelian moved to accept the motion. Motion carried (5-0). NEW BUSINESS 1. A REQUEST TO CONVERT 7TH AVENUE TO A ONE-WAY STREET BETWEEN A PROPOSED PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT DRIVEWAY, EAST OF KOELLER STREET, AND LILAC STREET. (CURRENT CONDITION: TWO-WAY STREET.) Mr. Strong summarized the request for the Board. Councilman Hall explained how this change would help separate a commercial area from a residential area. Mr. Becker questioned if a sign would be erected to designate the commercial and residential areas. Mr. Hall did not feel this was necessary because the traffic going to the commercial area would stay in the commercial area. Mr. Becker questioned how many motorists would go the wrong way on the one-way street. Mr. Strong replied that some traffic will try coming off Koeller Street because it is a short segment and there will be reasonable sight distance. Mr. Becker said his fear was we would be making a bad situation worse. He was not inclined to support this request. Mr. Schuster said that out of all the proposals, he preferred this one. He did not see it as a big problem with motorists driving the wrong way. Mr. Hall moved to accept the request. Mr. Kaprelian seconded the motion. Motion carried (4-1 Becker). TRA MINUTES 2 JULY 10, 2012 2. A REQUEST FOR YIELD SIGNS ON CRANE STREET AT ITS INTERSECTION WITH COLUMBIA AVENUE. (CURRENT CONDITION: COLUMBIA AVENUE YIELDS TO CRANE STREET.) Mr. Becker felt this request would have very little impact on the traffic flow. Mr. Kaprelian moved to accept the request. Mr. Hall seconded the motion. Motion lost (0-5). 3. A REQUEST FOR A STOP SIGN AT THE INTERSECTION OF FRANKLIN STREET AND LINCOLN AVENUE. (CURRENT CONDITION: YIELD SIGN.) Mr. Hall noted he had lived in this area and said this could be a tough intersection. He would like to see traffic counts taken when school is in session. Ms. Liz Weston, 742 Franklin Street, has lived there for over 20 years. She pointed out that motorists are using Lincoln Street to speed from Main Street to Jackson Street. She sees no problem with waiting until fall to collect traffic counts. Mr. Hall moved to table the request. Mr. Kaprelian seconded the motion. Motion carried (5-0). 4. A REQUEST FOR APPROVAL TO IMPLEMENT A “ROAD DIET” ON MURDOCK AVENUE BETWEEN ALGOMA BOULEVARD AND JACKSON STREET. (CURRENT CONDITION: TWO LANES FOR VEHICULAR TRAFFIC IN EACH DIRECTION: PROPOSED CONDITION: ONE LANE FOR VEHICULAR TRAFFIC IN EACH DIRECTION, ONE LANE FOR BICYCLE TRAFFIC IN EACH DIRECTION, AND A TWO-WAY LEFT-TURN LANE.) Mr. Kaprelian questioned where the eastern edge would end. Mr. Strong replied somewhere between Wisconsin Street and Jackson Street. Mr. Kaprelian had a fear of cars stacking up at the roundabout. Mr. Strong replied that there is an adequate amount of storage area to handle the traffic. Mr. Hall complimented Mr. Strong on his report. With the amount of data compiled, it made sense to him and he would support this request. Mr. Kaprelian agreed with Mr. Hall. Mr. Hall moved to accept the request. Mr. Kaprelian seconded the motion. Motion carried (5-0). 5. A REQUEST FOR A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT THE CARL TRAEGER DRIVEWAY AND 20TH AVENUE. (CURRENT CONDITION: 20TH AVENUE IS A THROUGH STREET.) Mr. Becker noted this situation has been a problem for many years. This issue has come up previously before the School Board. With the city expanding to the west, the problem won’t TRA MINUTES 3 JULY 10, 2012 go away. However, he feels the School Board needs to find a solution and not put this burden of solving this problem onto the taxpayers. Mr. Strong noted this would help with traffic leaving the school but not necessarily in the morning. Mr. Hall felt a signal would help with pedestrians crossing 20th Avenue and YMCA traffic, by creating breaks in the traffic flow. He said that some control at peak hours would be useful. Principal Brenna Garrison-Bruden, Carl Traeger School, told the Board that a 2007 consultant study recommended a traffic signal. She noted the traffic counts were taken in June; however, this is not their problem time. In the spring, they promote bicycle usage. She would like to see the data collected in November. The problem is on really cold days and rainy days. The traffic will sometimes back up past Oakwood Road. They are looking for accurate data. Mr. Strong said the traffic warrants were not satisfied on 20th Avenue, and did not see them being satisfied in future. The traffic patterns show two very short periods of increased traffic; one in the AM and one in the PM. Principal Garrison-Bruden questioned the traffic counts collected from their east driveway. Mr. Ross felt the Board should table this request and work with the school for possible solutions. Mr. Becker said a solution could be obtained by designating the driveways as enter and exit only. This would be less problematic. Principal Garrison-Bruden noted this had been suggested in the past but did not work because of the playground and parking areas. Mr. Kaprelian moved to table the request. Mr. Schuster seconded the motion. Motion carried (5-0). 6. A REQUEST FOR TWO-HOUR PARKING ON THE WEST SIDE OF CENTRAL STREET FROM NEW YORK AVENUE TO 90 FEET NORTH OF NEW YORK AVENUE BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 7:00 A.M. AND 4:00 P.M. ON SCHOOL DAYS. (CURRENT CONDITION: NO PARKING, STOPPING, STANDING OR WAITING.) Mr. Becker feared we would be making a dangerous situation worse. By Webster Stanley School, where there is a similar parking restriction, he has observed double parking occurring all the time. Mr. Strong has heard many similar stories at schools and it comes down to cases where parents do not follow the parking rules. TRA MINUTES 4 JULY 10, 2012 Mr. Kaprelian felt the Police Department needs to do strict enforcement in the beginning of the school year. Mr. Kaprelian moved to accept the request. Mr. Hall seconded the motion. Motion carried (3-2 Becker, Schuster). 7. REQUEST FOR TWO-HOUR PARKING ON THE WEST SIDE OF CENTRAL STREET FROM 60 FEET SOUTH OF TENNESSEE AVENUE TO 50 FEET NORTH OF TENNESSEE AVENUE BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 7:00 A.M. AND 4:00 P.M. ON SCHOOL DAYS. (CURRENT CONDITION: NO PARKING, STOPPING, STANDING, WAITING.) Mr. Hall pointed out that this is a narrow street, and motorists have difficulty making this turn. He would not support this request. Mr. Kaprelian agreed with Mr. Hall. The geometry doesn’t work here. Mr. Kaprelian moved to accept the request. Mr. Hall seconded the motion. Motion lost (0-5). 8. A REQUEST FOR 2-HOUR PARKING ON THE EAST SIDE OF CENTRAL STREET FROM NEW YORK AVENUE TO 160 FEET NORTH OF NEW YORK AVENUE BETWEEN 7:00 A.M. AND 4:00 P.M. ON SCHOOL DAYS. (CURRENT CONDITION: UNRESTRICTED PARKING.) Mr. Hall felt this request made sense and he was fine with it. Mr. Hall moved to accept the request. Mr. Kaprelian seconded the motion. Motion carried (5-0). 9. A REQUEST FOR NO PARKING ON THE EAST SIDE OF CENTRAL STREET FROM 160 FEET NORTH OF NEW YORK AVENUE TO TENNESSEE AVENUE BETWEEN 7:00 A.M. AND 4:00 P.M. ON SCHOOL DAYS. (CURRENT CONDITION: UNRESTRICTED PARKING.) Mr. Strong noted the Board may want to amend the request to read “NO PARKING, STOPPING, STANDING, WAITING” to make the restriction similar to what has been in place on the west side of this section of Central Street. Mr. Kaprelian moved to amend the request to read “NO PARKING, STOPPING, STANDING, WAITING…”. Mr. Hall seconded the motion. Motion carried (5-0). Mr. Kaprelian moved to accept the amended request. Mr. Hall seconded the motion. Motion carried (5-0). 10. A REQUEST FOR PERMIT PARKING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF HIGH AVENUE FROM 1,040 FEET WEST OF OSCEOLA STREET TO 330 FEET EAST OF OSCEOLA STREET. (CURRENT CONDITION: NO PARKING.) TRA MINUTES 5 JULY 10, 2012 Mr. Becker noted there was not a sunset clause. He would like to see a re-evaluation date or a sunset clause added. Mr. Joe Blohm, Director of UW-O Parking Services, noted this request is to help with the shortage of parking during reconstruction; however, there will be a shortage of parking even after the completion of the parking lot. Mr. Hall felt there will always be a lack of parking at UW-O. If there is problem, it can always come back before the Board. Mr. Kaprelian questioned how the citizens will know that the permits have to be obtained through the City. Mr. Strong said he would be working the university on getting the word out. Mr. Kaprelian moved to accept the request. Mr. Hall seconded the motion. Motion carried (5-0). AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING • Mr. Becker would like to see a right turn only lane for southbound traffic on Bowen Street approaching the intersection with Murdock Avenue. There being no more items to come before the Traffic Review Advisory Board and upon being duly moved and seconded (Schuster, Becker), the meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.