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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTraffic Safety Commission 04-16-08 NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA ST. CROIX COUNTY TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION April 16, 2008, 10: 00 A.M. Training Room —St. Croix County Sheriff's Office CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING DATE OF NEXT MEETING — July16, 2008 OLD BUSINESS 1. Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) endorsement from Commission Hwy 65 / G intersection - Hwy 35 / V intersection 2. Update on potential improvements to 65 / TT, 65 / 12 west, 65 ! 12 east intersections at Roberts 3. Lane merge signing, Hwy 64 NEW BUSINESS 1. Hwy 35 / C / 64 ramp, east of Somerset safety concerns 2. I -94 temporary alternates routes during Baldwin construction ADJOURN (Items may be taken in different order) ** Additions /Changes /Corrections i St. Croix County Traffic Safety Commission Minutes St. Croix County Traffic Safety Commission meeting was held on April 16, 2008, in Sheriff's Office training room of the Government Center in Hudson at 10:02 A.M. Present were: Mike Winberg, Charles Grant, Buzz Marzolf, Trooper Bill Traynor, Dennis Johnson, Greg Helgeson, Miles Wittig, Jim Harer, Doris Peterson, and Marion Standaert. Meeting was called to order by chairman Winberg. Chairman Winberg asked everyone to take a look at the minutes and then asked if there were any corrections to be made. Mr. Helgeson pointed out a correction to the minutes on page 2 in the 2 nd to that last paragraph should state "Mr. Witting informed Mr. Helgeson that they need better signage on Hwy 64..." Motion was made to adopt the January 16th minutes, seconded and approved. Chairman Winberg then inquired if anyone had any items that did not get on the agenda. No one had any items to be added. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Mr. Helgeson stated that there is a program called "Highway Safety Improvement Program" and he passed around flyers in regards to the program. Mr. Helgeson stated that in order for a project to be considered for this program, there has to be a documented crash history and then there is a benefit cost analysis done and if it is approved it will then be sent to Madison before July 15, 2008. Mr. Helgeson stated that a proposal for a round -a -bout at the intersection at Hwy 65 and Cty G will be sent in to the program with a proposed start date around 2012. He estimates the cost to be around $600,000 with the county having to pick up %2 of the states 10 %, which would be about $30,000. Mr. Helgeson would like an endorsement from the committee regarding his proposed projects. It was moved that the committee endorse the Hwy 65 / Cty G project, seconded and approved. Mr. Wittig had some concerns with putting a round -a -bout at that intersection, stating that it would really slow down the flow of traffic. Mr. Helgeson responded that you would also have that problem if you put in stop lights. Chairman Winberg requested that the new round -a -bout be larger than the round -a -bout currently on Hanley. Mr. Winberg went on to explain that the circle is too small for semi tractors going straight through so they end up taking up both lanes of traffic. Mr. Helgeson acknowledges the problem and said they would look into it. Mr. Harer explained that it is a tire issue with the truckers. The truckers do not want to go up on the apron because of the sharp increase hurts their tires. Mr. Helgeson agreed and stated that they already had a change in the apron plan for 1 the next round -a -bout. Mr. Wittig thought that we might inform the truckers of the use of the apron by contacting them through their union and Mr. Helgeson stated he would contact the WI Motor Carriers Association. The next project Mr. Helgeson has for submission is the T- intersection at Hwy 35 and Cty V between Hudson and Houlton. They would offset the right turn lane, so they can see through traffic. It is not a major project, so it will have to be tied to another project in order to get good pricing. Mr. Wittig inquired as to why the County doesn't do the project and Mr. Helgeson said he would research that option. Committee approval seconded and approved. The third project Mr. Helgeson will be submitting are round -a -bouts at the three intersections on Hwy 65 which include Hwy 65 and Cty TT, Hwy 65 and Hwy 12 (NW) and Hwy 65 and Hwy 12 (NE). Again the cost will range around $600,000 per intersection with the County being responsible for 5% of each intersection. Mr. Helgeson asked Mr. Harer if Cty TT is the Villages or the Townships responsibility and Mr. Harer stated that it is the Villages. Mr. Helgeson explained that these round -a -bouts are just a short term solution until they can get the funding for the Robert's bypass, which probably won't be for at least 15 years. Mr. Wittig inquired as to why the State can't start buying up properties in the bypass area now, instead of waiting until the project is started. He stated that people will develop the land and there will be a lot of headaches. Mr. Harer stated that Zoning, the Township, and the Village are all aware of the plans and have plans not to build in the needed areas. The third project was seconded and approved. Item number 3 on the agenda (Lane merge signing, Hwy 64) has been resolved per Mr. Helgeson. He stated that they have put up larger signage. Mr. Wittig still has objections to which lane is the proper lane to be merged, but Mr. Helgeson stated that the right lane was the best choice because of the jointing in the concrete. Mr. Helgeson then stated that they might just restripe the lanes if the Stillwater Bridge does not go through. On another old item of business (mile markers for Hwy 64) Mr. Wittig stated that he got a hold of the chairman for Somerset Fire Commission and that person took the issue to the Fire Commission where they stated they did want the mile markers. Mr. Wittig and the chairman then went and spoke to Sheriff Hillstead. The sheriff said that he would write a letter to Eau Claire, but Mr. Helgeson stated as of yet, he has not received anything. Chairman Winberg was unaware of this conversation and stated that every fireman and EMS personnel that he has spoken with state that they have not had any problems with finding the addresses where they are headed and he wondered who asked the fire commission for it in the first place? Chairman Winberg stated that usually before adding this type of signage there would have 2 to be a problem, or a need for it. It being a "good idea" is not usually cause enough. Mr. Helgeson stated that you need strong support from the police department, fire department and EMS in order for anything to happen and that if he receives a letter, he will respond to it. NEW BUSINESS Under new business Mr. Helgeson informed us that as of yet, they do not have the needed numbers to put in a traffic signal at the intersection of Hwy 35, Cty C, and Hwy 64 and that when they do he will approach the Village to help fund the signal since their new development has added to the traffic. Mr. Wittig asked about adding another access for emergency vehicles in case the bridge was to collapse. He stated that people he has talked to are looking at 50 Street and asked if this access would be used by the public. Mr. Helgeson stated that the chance of the access being used by the public would be slim to none and continued on to state that this access would only be for emergency vehicles and only when the bridge was under construction. Mr. Helgeson informed the committee of the need to have an alternative route for 1 -94 in case of an incident on 1 -94 during construction on Hwy 63. The alternative route goes to the south into Pierce County. The construction on Hwy 63 will start on May 5 th and go through July 18 Mr. Harer asked if they were going to leave some extra room when going over the train tracks to make room for the school buses and fuel trucks that need to stop before crossing them. Mr. Helgeson said he would double check that item. Chairman Winberg informed the committee that there have been two fatalities since our last meeting, bringing the years total to two. The first fatality happened on January 25, 2008 on Hwy 63 at 6:05 A.M. The second fatality happened on February 29, 2008, on Hwy 35 at 6:47 A.M. Trooper Traynor stated that Peirce County has already had six fatalities and Mr. Johnson added that Polk has had two and Dunn has had one fatality so far this year. Mr. Johnson stated that there have been 131 fatalities so far this year, compared to the 176 at this time last year and the 5 year average is 185. He stated that the total for 2007 is 743 fatalities in 661 crashes. Mr. Johnson advised the committee that Act 68 was signed, which adds the "Move Over Law" to driver's ed classes. The law of the month for January was speeding beyond reasonable conditions. The law of the month for February was to eliminate distractions; with the "Move Over Law" for March and the absolute sobriety law for drivers in April. Mr. Johnson then handed us a flyer regarding a seminar on bicycle safety and a card for I.C.E. 3 ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:25 A.M. Respectfully submitted, Marion Standaert 4