Sometimes the best decisions are ones not made. Such seems to be the case regarding traffic concerns near St. Victor Catholic School in Monroe.
St. Victor staff members have expressed to Monroe city government their concerns about speeding traffic and inattentive drivers near the school on 20th Avenue and 15th Street. There have been a number of near accidents, they said, which is particularly unnerving when there are school children around.
There was strong sentiment among some Monroe City Council members to immediately place stop signs on 20th Avenue at the intersection - there already are stop signs on 15th Street. Alderman Thurston Hanson said the stop signs solution was a "pretty obvious" one and that spending money on a traffic study of the area would be a waste.
Police Chief Fred Kelley cautioned against a quick decision, saying he was concerned about the impact stop signs would have on 20th Avenue traffic. And as it turned out state law mandated that a traffic study be done.
So a split council voted 6-4 on Oct. 16 to hold off on the stop signs, opting instead to have Fehr-Graham and Associates study the situation and make recommendations.
The city's Public Safety Committee on Monday received that report, which showed that none of the conditions on the streets around the school supported a need for stop signs on 20th Avenue. Putting stop signs up there actually would be "likely to have more of a negative effect than positive," the report said.
So the committee on Monday voted to recommend the city install additional signs and dual flashing lights on 20th Avenue to urge drivers to slow down near the school. St. Victor will invest in portable crosswalk signs. These seem like reasonable solutions to a legitimate traffic concern. The better decisions were made after study and consideration rather than in making quick judgments.
Alderman Mark Coplien, chairman of St. Victor's parish council, said he will push for permanent rumble strips at the intersection. Those were recommended by the report, as well. It's an idea worth further consideration and discussion, certainly.
Albeit mandated by the state to do so, city government handled the concern well. It came up with a reasonable solution that helps protect the students who walk around the school area without creating new hazards for drivers.
St. Victor staff members have expressed to Monroe city government their concerns about speeding traffic and inattentive drivers near the school on 20th Avenue and 15th Street. There have been a number of near accidents, they said, which is particularly unnerving when there are school children around.
There was strong sentiment among some Monroe City Council members to immediately place stop signs on 20th Avenue at the intersection - there already are stop signs on 15th Street. Alderman Thurston Hanson said the stop signs solution was a "pretty obvious" one and that spending money on a traffic study of the area would be a waste.
Police Chief Fred Kelley cautioned against a quick decision, saying he was concerned about the impact stop signs would have on 20th Avenue traffic. And as it turned out state law mandated that a traffic study be done.
So a split council voted 6-4 on Oct. 16 to hold off on the stop signs, opting instead to have Fehr-Graham and Associates study the situation and make recommendations.
The city's Public Safety Committee on Monday received that report, which showed that none of the conditions on the streets around the school supported a need for stop signs on 20th Avenue. Putting stop signs up there actually would be "likely to have more of a negative effect than positive," the report said.
So the committee on Monday voted to recommend the city install additional signs and dual flashing lights on 20th Avenue to urge drivers to slow down near the school. St. Victor will invest in portable crosswalk signs. These seem like reasonable solutions to a legitimate traffic concern. The better decisions were made after study and consideration rather than in making quick judgments.
Alderman Mark Coplien, chairman of St. Victor's parish council, said he will push for permanent rumble strips at the intersection. Those were recommended by the report, as well. It's an idea worth further consideration and discussion, certainly.
Albeit mandated by the state to do so, city government handled the concern well. It came up with a reasonable solution that helps protect the students who walk around the school area without creating new hazards for drivers.
