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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRA_StaffMemo_Sep 2014Please contact the Traffic Review Advisory Board at TRAB@ci.oshkosh.wi.us with any questions or concerns. TRAFFIC REVIEW ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA ITEMS SEPTEMBER 2014 TABLED BUSINESS 1. A REQUEST TO HAVE THE CITY PAINT OR ALLOW THEM TO PAINT STALLS FOR PARALLEL PARKING IN FRONT OF GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH, 913 NEBRASKA STREET (CURRENT CONDITION: NOT PAINTED) This is a citizen request. The citizen making this request is asking this so that people would have guidance on vehicle spacing allowing more close access for elderly and disabled members of the church. By vehicles parking closer, or more appropriately, more cars could park closer to the front entrance. The city has not budgeted or planned for this within this year’s street painting season. The citizen would like to hire Kline Lines to do the painting if the City does not wish to. Per the board’s request, I have researched the City’s ordinances and talked to the city attorney. It was concluded the following section prohibiting substances in the street or sidewalk without a written license and permit would prevent others from painting city streets and/or sidewalks. SECTION 25-26 OBSTRUCTIONS IN STREET PROHIBITED No person shall place or deposit, except as thereinafter permitted in any sidewalk or in any street within the City any cask, box, crate, wood, stone, lumber, posts, firewood, timber, dirt, ashes, or other object, article, substance, or material, nor erect within the limits of such street or sidewalk any scaffold, platform or other structure or obstruction whatever without a written license and permit therefor from the Office of the City Clerk, obtained as hereinafter provided, nor obstruct or stop the flow of water in any manner in any ditch, sewer, gutter or culvert in, along or across any street, lane, alley or public grounds or sidewalks in the City. Obstructions include any object(s) placed in the right-of-way which obstruct the free movement of vehicular, pedestrian or bicycle traffic including the placement of vehicles, equipment, building or other materials on streets, sidewalks or alleys. In consideration of this, the city would need to paint the stalls if we decide to do so. Based on our measurements, we could paint 12 stalls in front of the church. I recommend we do so by using the smaller “corner type” parking indicators similar to Main Street. This would greatly reduce the amount of paint needed. I am comfortable doing this one time as the budget impact would be minimal and the public could benefit. My main concern is potentially setting a precedent. TRAB AGENDA ITEMS 2 SEPTEMBER 2014 Please contact the Traffic Review Advisory Board at TRAB@ci.oshkosh.wi.us with any questions or concerns. NEW BUSINESS 2. A REQUEST TO PAINT OR ALLOW CITIZENS TO PAINT THEIR CURBS YELLOW TO DESIGNATE NO PARKING WITHIN FOUR FEET OF THEIR DRIVEWAY APRONS ON LOMBARD AVENUE (CURRENT CONDITION: NOT PAINTED) This is a citizen request. The citizen making this request is concerned about vehicles blocking the access to and from his and his neighbor’s driveways during the numerous events at the Oshkosh West athletic facility and Red Arrow Park. He also requested the curb at the intersection of Lombard Avenue and Westfield Street be painted yellow 15 feet, the minimum distance a vehicle can legally park from a corner. Sign Department employees painted the curb yellow at this intersection. This makes the parking prohibition visible which will increase safety at the intersection. Per Section 25-26 of the Municipal code cited above, citizens are not allowed to paint city streets or sidewalks without a permit. This means the City would have to paint the curbs, thus we would be opening this up to the entire city. We do not have the crew or budget necessary to accomplish this. I recommend the residents continue to work with police to enforce parking restrictions during these special events. I recommend denial of this request. 3. A REQUEST FOR A FLASHING STOP SIGN AT THE INTERSECTION OF SAWYER STREET AND 5TH AVENUE. THE SIGN WOULD BE FOR SOUTHBOUND TRAFFIC ON SAWYER STREET (CURRENT CONDITION: REGULAR STOP SIGN) This is request is from the Oshkosh Police Department. The Police Department has received complaints from a resident about motorists running the stop signs on Sawyer Street. Police monitored the intersection and observed people not stopping for the stop sign. There are two stops signs on Sawyer Street for both north and southbound traffic. The stop signs have flags on them which indicate to me there were complaints in the past. Installing stop signs on both sides of the road were first tried to remedy the problem. The next solution tried was flagging the signs. Police officers inquired about the possibility of installing flashing stop signs. There have not been any reported accidents at this location in the last year and a half. My concern is that citizens may have the expectation that flashing stop signs will be installed throughout the city. These signs are about $1100 each. There is one installed at the intersection of Prospect Avenue and Wisconsin Street. The sign is on Prospect Avenue for westbound traffic. My understanding is there was accident history at that intersection. I think the location on Sawyer Street might be a good location to test another flashing stop sign, however there isn’t the accident history to support the need for one. TRAB AGENDA ITEMS 3 SEPTEMBER 2014 Please contact the Traffic Review Advisory Board at TRAB@ci.oshkosh.wi.us with any questions or concerns. I recommend we install a flashing stop sign on Sawyer Street for southbound traffic and ask police to monitor its effectiveness. 4. A REQUEST TO ALLOW PARKING ON SAWYER STREET, EAST SIDE, FROM BUCHANAN AVENUE TO FILLMORE AVENUE (CURRENT CONDITION: NO PARKING) This is a request from the Transportation Department. With the new bike lanes on Sawyer Street extending to Fillmore Avenue it now makes sense to allow parking on this stretch. I recommend approval of this request 5. A REQUEST TO ALLOW PARKING ON SAWYER STREET, EAST SIDE, FROM 225 FEET SOUTH OF WITZEL AVENUE TO 4TH AVENUE (CURRENT CONDITION: NO PARKING) This is a request from the Transportation Department. With the new bike lanes on Sawyer Street, the layout supports on street parking on this stretch of Sawyer Street. 6. A REQUEST FOR NO PARKING ON SAWYER STREET, WEST SIDE, FROM 225 FEET SOUTH OF WITZEL AVENUE TO 111 FEET NORTH OF PORTER AVENUE (CURRENT CONDITION: NO PARKING, WEST SIDE, FROM WITZEL AVENUE TO 80 FEET SOUTH OF WITZEL AVENUE AND NO PARKING, WEST SIDE, FROM WITZEL AVENUE TO 199 FEET NORTH OF SOUTHLAND AVENUE) This is a request from the Transportation Department. With the new bike lanes on Sawyer Street, the layout does not support on street parking on this stretch of Sawyer Street. STAFF STATEMENTS 7. I talked to the university’s maintenance supervisor and they have delayed moving the hybrid pedestrian beacon on High Avenue until next year. Due to the cost of the project, they need to hire an engineering firm to design and manage the project. 8. The Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Board has supported the road diet concept on Murdock Avenue. 9. The bike lanes on Sawyer Street along with the road diet are complete. As with any change, we are receiving both positive and negative feedback. Unfortunately, there is not a good way to permanently remove old markings. We had the old markings scarified but the scars will remain visible for some time.