MONROE - After six months of a stop sign sitting at the bottom of the hill on 6th Avenue West, the Public Safety Committee decided Monday to keep the sign after Director of Public Works Al Gerber asked whether it should be a permanent fixture.
The measure to change the intersection from a three-way stop to a four-way passed 2-1.
Aldermen Chris Beer and Brooke Bauman approved of the idea but added a stipulation that it should be re-evaluated following the winter season. If any consistent issues were observed, Bauman and Beer agreed Gerber should approach the committee once more to discuss returning it to the original setup.
"Honestly, I like the four-way stop there," Beer said. "It doesn't back up onto the hill. It's worked really well through the construction project."
Bauman was more hesitant to outright change the flow of traffic but said it had not been an issue over the period of construction. She said it should be revisited after winter ends because traffic could become backed up once roadwork is no longer a concern.
Alderman Tom Miller said residents he has talked to would prefer not to see a stop sign sitting at the bottom of 6th Avenue where the road meets 8th Street.
"People I've talked to want it to go back to a three-way," Miller said. "The issue has been people either stopping or speeding down. You can't really look at how it was with construction compared to what it'll be like without construction."
Beer added that most drivers coming down the hill exceed the posted speed limit, which the stop sign could help prevent.
"I think it's something we definitely need to keep an eye on," Bauman said.
During a public meeting to discuss the 8th Street Project on Wednesday at Behring Senior Center, Culver's owner Della Hathaway indicated a preference for a four-way stop at the intersection after a fellow attendee asked Gerber about plans for the intersection.
Gerber said the city also plans to add a "stop ahead" sign to warn drivers traveling on 6th Avenue West.
The measure to change the intersection from a three-way stop to a four-way passed 2-1.
Aldermen Chris Beer and Brooke Bauman approved of the idea but added a stipulation that it should be re-evaluated following the winter season. If any consistent issues were observed, Bauman and Beer agreed Gerber should approach the committee once more to discuss returning it to the original setup.
"Honestly, I like the four-way stop there," Beer said. "It doesn't back up onto the hill. It's worked really well through the construction project."
Bauman was more hesitant to outright change the flow of traffic but said it had not been an issue over the period of construction. She said it should be revisited after winter ends because traffic could become backed up once roadwork is no longer a concern.
Alderman Tom Miller said residents he has talked to would prefer not to see a stop sign sitting at the bottom of 6th Avenue where the road meets 8th Street.
"People I've talked to want it to go back to a three-way," Miller said. "The issue has been people either stopping or speeding down. You can't really look at how it was with construction compared to what it'll be like without construction."
Beer added that most drivers coming down the hill exceed the posted speed limit, which the stop sign could help prevent.
"I think it's something we definitely need to keep an eye on," Bauman said.
During a public meeting to discuss the 8th Street Project on Wednesday at Behring Senior Center, Culver's owner Della Hathaway indicated a preference for a four-way stop at the intersection after a fellow attendee asked Gerber about plans for the intersection.
Gerber said the city also plans to add a "stop ahead" sign to warn drivers traveling on 6th Avenue West.