TRAFFIC SAFETY ` COMMISSION

 

MINUTES OF MEETING ON FEBRUARY 21

 

 

Commission members & staff present:

Terry Allen      Tim Brass

Kie Cottam      Beau Horn

Tim Hinds       Carl Nightengale

Shawn Irvine   Vern Wells

 

Absent:

Lonnie Sanner

 

Visitors:

  1. Kris and Matt Richards of S. 13th Street

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF LAST MEETING:

            November 15, 2006 - Approved.

 

VISITOR BUSINESS:

 

The Richards stated their concern with traffic coming from F St. onto 13th. Vehicles reportedly fail to stop at the stop sign on F Street, and some don’t even attempt a rolling stop.  Drivers are complacent about vehicles coming from the south.

Action:

·        Chief Wells will request additional IPD enforcement.

·        Kie will investigate installing a high-intensity 36” stop sign.

·        Shawn will add the issue to the Transportation Plan meeting on Feb. 22.

·        Carl will deploy a decoy car.

Suggestions to discuss at next meeting:

·        13th Street by F is only partially paved. Carl will check plans.

·        Flyer to the apartments/duplexes.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

1. Hoffman Road at Gun Club Rd.

Chief Wells testified about the issue in from of the County Commissioners and requested their assistance.  The Commissioners asked the County Road Master to meet with our City Community Development Director on this intersection.

 

The Road Master and Community Development Director met at the intersection and discussed solutions.  Kie reported that the Road Master agreed that improvements needed to be made but he did not want to use their bond-approved funds to revamp this area.

 

Kie said the City Shops are pulling the arborvitae, trimming the tree, and installing a new “crosswalk ahead” sign.  This will help, but the sidewalks and drains on Hoffman (Polk County) Road need complete renovation in order to move the crosswalk north to where it should be.

           

2.  Large truck traffic problems by the Mt. Fir mill seem to be reduced. The owner says the mill has a practice of instructing trucks to go down 10th.

No further complaints – no further action.

 

3.  Request for double-yellow line on River Oak Road, because people are crossing into the oncoming lane when rounding the 90-degree turn.

Rumble bumps were suggested instead of paint. Kie will advise.

 

4.  Request for speed reduction on North Main.

Request is in and ODOT has confirmed receipt.  We are still pending ODOT investigation.

 

5.  The crosswalk request across N. Main by Grand.

Committee agreed that this request should be addressed at the time of the Hwy 51 Improvement Phase II, or after the soccer fields are fully constructed.

Note: there is no sidewalk and only 3 houses and a coffee shop on the east side of N. Main at this time.

Tabled until Phase II.

 

6.  Request to block Mooney Street at Airport Way.

This idea has met with objections from other airpark residents.

Table at least until Hwy 51 project completed.  Perhaps some of the traffic on Mooney is being caused by the detour from Hwy. 51.

 

7. Children walking on Gun Club barriers.

Very expensive to add cones or other methods to prevent this.

Carl will ask Mr. Melendy, who lives very close to the bridge if he perceives this as a problem. If so, we can discuss this further at the next TSC meeting.

 

8.  Resident complaints about lack of “high-water road closed” signs on Gun Club.

There are enough signs, it just takes time after the gate is closed to get to the other side of the street to flip these signs.

If any signs are replaced, the City Shops will install high-intensity versions.

No further action needed.

 

9.  Railroad track problems.

The City and RR have ongoing meetings.  The RR has some different designs for the track, and the City is waiting to review these plans.

Shawn will advise.

 

10.  Transportation System Plan meeting was attended by Carl for the TSC, and Shawn represented the City. Concerns presented:

            Central High pedestrian and traffic problems.

            Gun Club and Hoffman intersection/crosswalk.

            RR track/street problems on 2nd St.

The next meeting of this planning board will be held on February 22, 2007 – see new business.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

 

1.  Concern about missing speed sign on Main St. south of Monmouth Street.

Kie will have installed.

 

2.  Beau Horn has agreed to serve another term on the Traffic Safety Committee.

 

3.  Request for permanent stop sign at HHES.

Needs to be in the middle of the street, which may be a liability problem. Maybe folding signs? Kie will check on options and advise us at the next Commission meeting.

 

4.  Request for rumble strips on N. Main St. at the 20/35/45 mph signs.

This would be decided by ODOT.  It is very unlikely that they would agree to this.

No further action.

 

5.  Safe Routes to Schools.

Tim has done a lot of work on this program.

He has school surveys from TMS and MES, with IES coming soon. The conclusions will be shared with a separate report.

 

The schools are setting up SR2S teams at each school to take over after Tim leaves.

 

6.  Open House #2 of the Transportation System Plan will be held on Feb. 22, 2007.

Carl and Shawn will attend for the TSC concerns:

            New street widths 36’ minimum.

            Arterial routes east/west.

A possible temp fix – remove east/west stop signs on G Street at 6th St thus creating an alternative east – west collector street to relieve pressure on Monmouth Street.

 

The next events:

  • Planning Commission Work Session #1 – March 5
  • City Council Preliminary Review – march 13
  • Planning Commission Work Session #2 – April 2
  • Planning Commission Public Hearing – June 4
  • City Council Public Hearing – June 12

 

7.  The same vehicles are parking on Monmouth Street especially around 4th to 7th Street intersections.  Because these vehicles park in substantially the same place over long periods of time, these areas are not being swept by the street sweeper.  This becomes visible as mud builds up under the vehicles.

A suggestion is to sign Monmouth Street with “no parking on Monday and Thursday from 3:00 am – 6:00 am for street sweeping.”

           

Chief Wells has discussed this idea with Public Works, the city Department Heads, and the ODOT Regional Manager.  All are in favor. 

ODOT would like, as part of this effort, a designation of no-parking 40’ back from each crosswalk along Monmouth Street.

Chief Wells has met with Mr. Farnstrom (The only effected business) about this and he is OK with these suggestions.

 

We have to get input from local residents (Chief action), and, because it’s a state highway, ODOT approval. ODOT may be willing to pay for and install the signs.

Carl will prepare a letter of request to Don Jordan, Region 2, District 3 manager.     

           

NEXT MEETING:

APRIL 18, 2007