TSC Minutes: March 2010
City of Lawrence
Traffic Safety Commission
March 1, 2010 Minutes
MEMBERS PRESENT: Jim Woods, Chair; Ken Miller, Vice-Chair; Scott Criqui; Dan Harden; Richard Heckler; Jason Novotny, Edwin Rothrock; and Robin Smith.
STAFF PRESENT: David Woosley, Public Works Department
Chair Jim Woods called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the City Commission Room, City Hall, 6 E. 6th Street.
ITEM NO. 1:
Review and approve the minutes of the Traffic Safety Commission meeting, January 4, 2010.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HARDEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING, JANUARY 4, 2010; THE MOTION WAS APPROVED 7-0-1 (Novotny).
ITEM NO. 2:
Consider rescinding the 35 MPH SPEED LIMIT on 4th Street between McDonald Drive & Michigan Street.
David Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.
Public comment:
Steve Braswell, 427 Michigan Street, Pinckney Neighborhood Association: We requested that the speed limit be rolled-back from 35 to the previous 30 mph; I found it very educational listening to the discussions on how you look at the concept of what a speed limit should be; there was not a positive reason to change the speed limit, when the road was designed it was thought that 30 mph was the appropriate speed limit at that time; since that time there has been quite a bit of residential development in the area; this is a very heavily residential area; the study shows that the average speed of traffic hasn't changed much since the speed limit was changed, so I don't think it would change the speed much rolling it back; we're not saying that speeding is a big problem on this stretch of road, I don't think at this time that traffic calming measures are required; our point is this is a heavily residential area and the neighbors around there would like to encourage people to drive a little slower; changing this speed limit has done nothing to improve the traffic flow in Lawrence, but it has placed pedestrians in a little more of an unsafe situation; in the summertime, there are lots of people out walking and crossing the street and there are no pedestrian crosswalks in this stretch of road.
Commissioner Woods asked why the City Commission cut back the previous recommendation from Maine to Michigan; Woosley advised that between Maine and Michigan there was considerable on-street parking along one side of the street while parking is prohibited along both sides between McDonald Drive and Michigan Street.
Commissioner Miller: It looks like this is an exercise in pulling-out speed limit signs, putting-in new ones and then pulling them out again; I have not changed my mind.
Commissioner Woods: I'm in agreement with you, signs are signs; the traffic hasn't changed. I don't think it is going to solve anything changing the signs and changing the ordinance.
Commissioner Smith: I'm comfortable with the way it is leaving it at 35.
Commissioner Novotny: If we had a true safety issue with numerous pedestrian accidents or numerous vehicle accidents it might be worthwhile making the change, but the study shows that driving habits don't change with the changing of a speed limit sign; also, that is a good thoroughfare to get to the ER at LMH.
Commissioner Heckler: I didn't support the increase in speed so I am going to stick with my original vote and support the 30 mph speed limit because of the residential area and pedestrians.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MILLER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CRIQUI, TO RECOMMEND DENYING THE REQUEST TO RESCIND THE 35 MPH SPEED LIMIT ON 4TH STREET BETWEEN McDONALD DRIVE & MICHIGAN STREET; THE MOTION WAS APPROVED 7-1 (Heckler).
ITEM NO. 3:
Consider reversing the STOP signs at the intersection of 11th Street & Indiana Street.
David Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report and noted that a letter had been received from the Oread Neighborhood Association (attached).
Public comment:
Carol von Tersch, 706 W. 12th Street, Oread Neighborhood Association: The traffic studies were done in January after Indiana had been closed for two years and people had stayed away from coming up Indiana from 9th Street to the University; since it re-opened in mid-semester, it is going to be a while before you see the shift back to the previous traffic patterns; I think there will be more traffic on Indiana than on 11th; I would respectfully request that you not put the stop signs on Indiana, but leave the stop signs on 11th Street.
Commissioner Harden: I would suggest that we table this item until the May meeting and we can do traffic counts in late April to see how traffic patterns may have changed.
MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HARDEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO TABLE THE REQUEST UNTIL MAY AND OBTAIN NEW TRAFFIC DATA IN APRIL; THE MOTION WAS APPROVED 8-0.
ITEM NO. 4:
Public Comment:
None.
ITEM NO. 5:
Commission Items:
None.
ITEM NO. 6:
Miscellaneous:
None.
The meeting adjourned at 7:30 P.M. The next scheduled meeting is Monday, April 5, 2010.
Respectfully submitted,
David E. Woosley
Transportation/Traffic Engineer
