City of Lawrence

Traffic Safety Commission

February 5, 2007 Minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:  David Hamby, Chair; Caroljean Brune; Paul Graves; Robert Hagen; Richard Heckler; Jim Woods; and John Ziegelmeyer Jr.

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:  Carol Bowen; Ken Miller

 

STAFF PRESENT:  David Woosley, Public Works Department

 

 

 

Chair David Hamby called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. in the City Commission Room at City Hall.

 

 

 

ITEM NO. 1:

 

Review and approve the minutes of the Traffic Safety Commission meeting, November 6, 2006 and December 4, 2006.

 

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAGEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING, NOVEMBER 6, 2006; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

 

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HAGEN, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING, DECEMBER 4, 2006; THE MOTION CARRIED 6-0-1(Ziegelmeyer).

 

 

 

ITEM NO. 2:

 

Consider request to establish a STOP sign at the intersection of Harvard Road and Sunset Drive.

 

Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.

 

Public comment:  None.

 

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER BRUNE, TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE REQUEST TO ESTABLISH A STOP SIGN AT THE INTERSECTION OF HARVARD ROAD AND SUNSET DRIVE; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

 

 

 

ITEM NO. 3:

 

Consider request to establish a MULTI-WAY STOP sign at the intersection of Arrowhead Drive and Peterson Road.

 

Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.

 

Public comment:  None.

 

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER WOODS, TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE REQUEST TO ESTABLISH A MULTI-WAY STOP SIGN AT THE INTERSECTION OF ARROWHEAD DRIVE AND PETERSON ROAD; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

 

 

 

ITEM NO. 4:

 

Consider request to construct TRAFFIC CALMING devices along Trail Road between Lawrence Avenue and Kasold Drive.

 

Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report and noted that an e-mail and letter concerning this item had been forwarded to the commission.

 

Public comment:

 

Ken MacKenzie, 502 Millstone Drive:  I am against having speed bumps; they break springs, they cause accidents and they slow down emergency vehicles; they are energy polluting causing vehicles to slow-down and speed-up which increase air pollution; they are unsightly; they are a problem for bicycles; a lot of kids play on them; I don’t think there is any evidence that they reduce accidents; I have never heard of a pedestrian accident on that road.

 

Amy McCarragher, 416 Settlers Drive:  I have two small children that ride their bikes in our driveway; there is not a continuous sidewalk along the street; our mailbox was recently hit; I would really appreciate sidewalks or speed bumps or a circle, whatever you can give us for traffic calming; there are people in our neighborhood that jog early in the morning and kids walk home every day from Deerfield School.

 

Gerry Bukaty, 3117 Trail Road:  Traffic has increased incredibly in the thirteen years I have lived here; the speed has gone up incredibly; there are only sidewalks part of the way; I’ve almost been run over getting my mail; it’s important that we do something there; there’s a lot of cut-through traffic since Free State High School opened; it happens all day long, but rush-hour is the worst; any thing you can do we would appreciate.

 

Greg Robinson, 3116 Trail Road:  I can’t play outside with my dog, we have to stay in the backyard; I don’t know if I’m for or against the proposal, I want the traffic to be calmed, I just don’t know how we’d get there; if we’re going to do this, let’s do it right; my car has been hit three times while parked on the street; I support any thing that can be done, but let’s do it in a professional manner.

 

Darlene Henning, 3420 Trail Road: I have seen people almost get hit; speed is too high; any thing you can do would be great.

 

Commissioners:

 

Commissioner Brune:  I feel the preponderance of the sentiment here tonight is in favor of doing something.

 

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BRUNE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GRAVES, TO RECOMMEND CONSTRUCTION OF TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES ALONG TRAIL ROAD BETWEEN LAWRENCE AVENUE AND KASOLD DRIVE; THE MOTION CARRIED 6-1(Woods: I don’t see  the need in such a short span).

 

 

 

ITEM NO. 5:

 

Consider request to establish NO PARKING along the east side of Sunset Drive between 9th Street and Broadview Drive.

 

Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.

 

Public comment:

 

Stan Rolfe, 821 Sunset Drive:  The entire neighborhood above 9th Street is served by two entrances, however most of the residents use Sunset; there is only enough room for three cars to park on the east side between 9th and Broadview; when cars are parked on both sides and one person is trying to come out and someone is trying to turn in, there is no way to turn in, they have to stop in the middle of 9th Street; south of 9th Street parking is restricted on one side; the person who lives on the east side always parks around the corner and is not opposed to the request; the only people who really park there live on the corner of 9th and Sunset in a rental house; there are two students who live there, but it continually changes and there are large groups of visitors.

 

Commissioners:

 

Commissioner Woods asked if it would be beneficial to extend the restriction another block to the north; Rolfe indicated that wasn’t necessary.

 

Commissioner Brune:  I travel the street a lot; I would certainly be in favor of the restriction.

 

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BRUNE, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO RECOMMEND ESTABLISHING NO PARKING ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF SUNSET DRIVE BETWEEN 9TH STREET AND BROADVIEW DRIVE; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

 

 

 

ITEM NO. 6:

 

Consider request to rescind DISABLED PARKING in front of 714 Alabama Street.

 

Woosley presented the information provided in the staff report.

 

Public comment:  None.

 

MOTION BY COMMISSIONER WOODS, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HECKLER, TO RECOMMEND RESCINDING DISABLED PARKING IN FRONT OF 714 ALABAMA STREET; THE MOTION CARRIED 7-0.

 

 

 

ITEM NO. 7:

 

Public Comment:

 

None.

 

 

 

ITEM NO. 8:

 

Commission Items:

 

Commissioner Woods asked what the status was of 27th Street & Sawgrass Drive; Woosley advised that he had met with the president of the homeowners association and they did not feel there was a problem; Woods asked that this item be placed on the next agenda.

 

Commissioner Woods asked about the status of the review of the need for left-turn signals on 23rd Street at Ousdahl Road; Woosley advised that the study had been completed, left-turn signals are now warranted and staff is in the process of determining what the cost will be.

 

 

 

ITEM NO. 9:

 

Miscellaneous:

 

The commission acknowledged receipt of the letter from May Lou Wright and the latest Attendance Summary.

 

 

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:15 P.M.

 

 

 

The next scheduled meeting of the Traffic Safety Commission is Monday, March 5, 2007.

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

David E. Woosley

Transportation/Traffic Engineer