Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRAB Meeting Minutes 6 14 16Committee Name: Traffic Review Advisory Board Date: 6/14/16 Location: City Hall 1 Attendees: Absent: Jim Collins, Transportation Director Gary Ross, Board Marlene Binder, Secretary Dan Scieszinski, Board Daniel Becker, Chairman Ben Stepanek, Council Member Steve Haas, Vice-Chairman Ross Wandschneider, Board Topic Facilitator Discussion Actions Meeting Started Dan Becker Dan Becker called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm. None Meeting Minutes Dan Becker Acceptance of May 10, 2016 TRAB meeting minutes. 1st: Gary Ross 2nd: Dan Becker Carried: 4-0 Public Comments Robert Snell Ben Rennert Jim Collins Robert Snell, 905 E. Snell Road, has seen many accidents at the cor ner of Snell Road and Cty. Hwy. A. He inquired where or what he can do to. Jim Collins said this intersection falls under jurisdiction of Winnebago County and the person to speak with is Highway Commissioner Ernie Winters. Ben Rennert, 1113 E. Irving Avenue, said that Merritt Avenue, between Bowen and Main Street has parking on one side of the street. He said vehicles traveling this street use the center of the road for the center line when in reality with parking removed on one side should be offset, allowing more room on the side with parked vehicles. Dan Becker asked the width of the street and said he feared the center line would gobble up space when not needed if vehicles were not parked. Jim Collins replied he would take a look at what the width of this street is. Jim Collins welcomed Ben Stepanek, Council member, to this Board Committee Name: Traffic Review Advisory Board Date: 6/14/16 Location: City Hall 2 A request to designate W. 5th Ave. a one way street, from W. 6th Ave. to Nebraska St. for westbound traffic Jim Collins David Buck Daniel Becker Jim Collins said the developer of the property that was formerly known as the Granary Restaurant would like angle parking on what is now W. 5th Ave. David Buck says he has worked with the developer for about a year to a year and a half and understands he is planning to redevelop the center of the property into a restaurant with rental housing on one end and an office on the other. Dan Becker wanted the owner/manager of Sweetwater to have opportunity to voice any concerns he might have. Mr. Collins assured him he was notified o f this meeting. David Buck also said Sweetwater was okay with this plan. There was further discussion including proper one way signage. 1st: Gary Ross 2nd: Ross Wandschneider Carried: 6-0 A request to designate bike lanes on Irving Ave. from Wisconsin St. to Hazel St. Jim Collins Alexa Naudziumas Jim Collins Steve Ghode Ben Rennert Jim Collins said a joint workshop for the Bike & Pedestrian Committee and the TRAB was held. He also told that a public meeting was held May 23rd. Alexa, of the Planning Department, said about 40 people came to this meeting. She said she asked each attendee to complete a questionnaire, and that only 6 were against the bike lanes. She said that this proposed bike lane connects UW-O and Menominee Park. She explained that there are not many streets in the city that are wide enough to accommodate bike lanes. Jim Collins clarified that parking would be removed from the south side of the street from Wisconsin Street to Hazel Street. He explained from the univers ity to Wisconsin Street Irving Avenue would be marked with sharrows and from Wisconsin Street to Hazel Street the road would have bike lanes. Steve Ghode stated Irving Avenue is a wide street. He said streets generally are constructed 32 or 36’ wide but Irving is 40’ wide. Ben Rennert, of 1113 E. Irving Ave., said he has noticed there seems to be very few vehicles parked in the area. He also said there are more cyclist than parked cars in this area. Committee Name: Traffic Review Advisory Board Date: 6/14/16 Location: City Hall 3 A request to designate bike lanes on Irving Ave. from Wisconsin St. to Hazel St. continued Melissa Putzer Ken Lyons Mike Halron Caroline Panske Rob Clancy Adam Bellcorelli Ross Wandschneider Ben Stepanek Daniel Becker Melissa Putzer, 2768 Leila Mae Lane, spoke in support of the bike lanes. She also stated that property values increase 1 -20% and sell in less time if there is biking facilities nearby. Ken Lyons, of 711 E. Irving Avenue, said he doesn’t think bike lanes here are a good idea because of truck congestion. He told it is hard to get out of his driveway because of traffic. He says he sometimes sits on his front porch and has counted 1 to 2 bikes per hour traveling past but says he counts many more trucks that pass. He said bike lanes will work until somebody gets hit and he doesn’t like the odds. Mike Halron, of 1055 Laager Lane, said he looks for safe routes to cross the city and is in support of bike lanes here. He state he feels safer in a designated bike lane than on the open road. Caroline Panske, City Council member and mom of two boys, spoke in support of the bike lanes. Rob Clancy, of 819 E. Bent Avenue, voiced support for bike lanes here. Adam Bellcorelli, of 1624 Western Street and Bike & Pedestrian Committee, spoke in support of the bike lanes saying that biking is a $1.6 billion industry and a bike path increased a home value by more than 11%. Ross Wandschneider said a marked bike lane alerts drivers to that population. Ben Stepanek said a marked bike lane makes it safer for bikers and he is in support of this item. Daniel Becker asked for a motion to amend this item to clarify which side of the street parking was being removed. Committee Name: Traffic Review Advisory Board Date: 6/14/16 Location: City Hall 4 A request to designate bike lanes on Irving Ave. from Wisconsin St. to Hazel St. continued. Daniel Sceiszinski Daniel Becker Daniel Sceiszinski Daniel Scieszinski moved to amend the item to include that parking was to be removed on the south side. Daniel Becker said he believes it is a mistake to remove parking on the south side of the street and therefore cannot support it. He expressed concern that drivers traveling down Irving Avenue coming to an event at the park could not find parking on that side of the street but would have to turn onto Hazel Street. Daniel Scieszinski pointed out that with parking removed on the south side, the parked cars are already facing west, which is heading away from congested traffic on Hazel Street for events at the park. Amendment 1st: Daniel Scieszinski 2nd: Steve Haas Amended Item Carried: 4-2 Becker, Ross Adjournment Dan Becker The meeting adjourned at 4:55 p.m. The next meeting will be July 12, 2016 at City Hall. 1st: Dan Becker 2nd: Gary Ross