HomeMy WebLinkAboutTRAB Minutes 11 14 17Committee Name: Traffic Review Advisory Board
Date: 11/14/17
Location: City Hall 1
Attendees: Absent:
Jim Collins, Transportation Director
Director
William Christianson, Board
Marlene Binder, Secretary Jake Krause, Council Member
Daniel Becker, Chairman
Dan Scieszinski, Board
Steve Haas, Vice-Chairman Ross Wandschneider, Board
Topic Facilitator Discussion Actions
Call to order
Meeting Minutes
Daniel Becker
Daniel Becker called the meeting to order at 4:00 pm.
The minutes from the 10/10/2017 TRAB meeting were accepted.
Carried: 6 - 0
A request for bike
lanes on Wisconsin
Street, both sides,
from the curb cuts on
the north end of the
bridge to Irving
Avenue (Current
Condition: No bike
lanes)
Jim Collins
Jim Collins explained that originally the bike lanes were proposed to
start on the south end of the bridge, but there were concerns about
biker’s safety on the bridge, He continued that now the proposal
before the Board is for bike lanes to start on the north end of the
bridge at the curb cuts for the river walk and connect with the High
Avenue, Algoma Boulevard, and Irving Avenue bike lanes. He told
the bike lanes would be 4’ wide from the bridge to Church Avenue
and then increase to 5’ wide from Church Avenue to Irving Avenue,
There was discussion to clarify there would be signage on the north
end of the bridge by the curb cuts for the river walk to clarify where
theses bike lanes begin/end. There was mention about the
configuration of the Wisconsin/Pearl intersection where there would
be a 12’ right turn lane. 4’ bike lane. 11’ straight lane and a 10’ left turn
lane. It was decided to amend the item to end the bike lanes and mark
the pavement with sharrows just before and after the intersection of
Church Avenue.
Amendment
1st: Ross Wandschneider
2nd: Dan Sceiszinski
Carried: 6 – 0
Item #1 as amended
Carried: 6 - 0
Committee Name: Traffic Review Advisory Board
Date: 11/14/17
Location: City Hall 2
Topic Facilitator Discussion Actions
A request for no
parking on 9th
Avenue, both sides,
from Reichow Street
to Knapp Street
(Current Condition:
No parking, south
side, from Reichow
Street to 240 feet west
of Sawyer Street from
5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.,
Monday through
Saturday, except
holidays; No parking,
south side, from
Sawyer Street to 250
feet west of Knapp
Street from 5:00 a.m.
to 6:000 p.m.,
Monday through
Saturday, except
holidays; No parking,
north side, from
Reichow Street to 250
feet west of Knapp
street from 5:00 a.m.
to 6:00 p.m., Monday
through Saturday,
except holidays; No
parking, both sides,
from 250 feet west of
Knapp Street to 250
feet east of Knapp
Street; No parking,
south side from
Sawyer Street to 240
feet west)
Jim Collins
Don Benson
Nick Nienhaus
Pete Wolf
Jim Collins said this section of 9th Avenue has been talked about for a
number of years. He told that the Board discussed the possibility of
changing the road configuration to two lanes with a shared left turn
lane in the center over a year ago. Mr. Collins said there has been
confusion as to whether or not this section of 9th Avenue is a 2 or 4
lane road. He said the first step is to remove parking before a
reconfiguration can be done.
Don Benson, 1504 W. 9th Avenue, has resided here for 11 years and his
main concern is with the speed of traffic in the area. He said he parks
his vehicle on the street when he mows the grass or shovels snow to
signal motorists that this street is two lanes not four and protect
himself from being hit by a vehicle’s large mirror, He stated that if
parking is removed something should be done with the flow of traffic
at the same time.
Nick Nienhaus, 1435 W. 9th Avenue, agreed with everything Mr.
Benson said. He stated he thinks there should be more full time
parking in the area to effectively shut it down to two lanes of travel.
He said kids walking on the sidewalk are very near the street and
removing the parking puts vehicles even closer to them. He explained
it is difficult to get out of his driveway so he drives on the grass.
Pete Wolf, 813 S. Sawyer Street, agrees with the previous two citizens.
He said he has been close to being hit while mowing and removing
snow also. He told that removing the parking would encourage
motorists to drive as though this is a 4 lane road. He explained that
reconfiguring the street to 3 lanes moves the speeding vehicles closer
to the sidewalk. He recommends installing bike lanes and explained
that on Sawyer Street the bike lanes moved the traffic closer to the
center of the road.
Amendment
1st: Dan Scieszinski
2nd: Steve Hass
Carried: 6 – 0
Committee Name: Traffic Review Advisory Board
Date: 11/14/17
Location: City Hall 3
Topic Facilitator Discussion Action
A request for no
parking on 9th
Avenue, both sides,
from Reichow Street
to Knapp Street
1.
Dan
Scieszinski
Jim Collins
Dan Sceiszinski suggested reconfiguring this area of 9th Avenue the
way that Murdock Avenue was done with a solid white line a few feet
away from the curb.
There was discussion about bike lanes but it was determined there not
enough space for both the bike lanes and the shared turn lane on this
42’ wide street,
This item was amended to include road reconfiguration being done in
conjunction with parking removal. The street reconfiguration will be 2
11 foot lanes of travel with a 14 foot shared left turn lane in the center
and a solid white line painted approximately 3 feet from the curb on
each side of the street.
Jim Collins said this will not take place till next painting season in the
spring.
Item #2 as amended
Carried: 6 - 0
Staff Statements
Washington
Avenue
Bike Lanes
5th Avenue Parking
PUC/TRAB Merge
Jim Collins
Jim Collins said the Bike and Pedestrian Committee voted for
sharrows to be incorporated into the plan for the construction of
Washington Avenue.
Mr. Collins told he spoke with Chet Wesenberg about the Grainary
development. It was decided to keep unrestricted parking in back of
the former Grainary on 5th Avenue. He said that Chet would contact
him if this did not work out.
Jim Collins explained that the city manager and council are looking
into merging the Parking Utility Commission (PUC) with the TRAB.
He told that the PUC voted in favor of the merge. He said he needs to
speak with one member of the PUC to see if they are interested in
serving on the TRAB. He said the city manager may bring this before
the council.
Committee Name: Traffic Review Advisory Board
Date: 11/14/17
Location: City Hall 4
2. Topic Facilitator 3. Discussion Actions
Future Agenda
Items
Ross
Wandschneider
Ross Wandschneider questioned why there is not a left turn arrow for
northbound traffic on Sawyer Street at Witzel Avenue when there is
one for southbound traffic there. He said most intersections have left
turn arrows for both directions.
Mr. Collins replied he believes the reason for this is for traffic light
timing but said he would check into this and report back at the next
meeting.
Adjournment Dan Becker
Meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.
Next meeting: December 12, 2017 at City Hall
Carried: 6 - 0