Traffic Panel Tables Jefferson, McKinley Stop Signs Decision
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
There currently are stop signs at the north and south side of Jefferson and McKinley streets. If stop signs are installed at the east and west sides it would be a four-way intersection.
The decision was tabled after discussion, and it was decided for the city to seek projections of pedestrian counts at the area.
The need for installing the stop signs came from issues with drivers not yielding at the intersection, and increased pedestrian traffic that will be generated from Krebs Trailhead Park on McKinley Street, said Jeremy Skinner, city planner.
Skinner said with the way the current intersection is, people are confused on who goes first, causing accidents.
“People pull up to the intersection and wrong, right or indifferent they feel like it’s a four-way stop and they go and then it results in an accident,” Skinner said.
Joe Thallemer, Warsaw mayor, said initially drivers could have a sense of false security crossing Jefferson Street if there is a new stop sign installed.
“People will stop because there is a stop sign there and it will take awhile for drivers to get used to stopping at the intersection,” Thallemer said.
“I don’t have any objections to putting stop or yield signs up at the crosswalk and that certainly puts everyone on alert,” he added.
Thallemer said the city is not only looking at the traffic concerns, but also from a pedestrian safety standpoint now that Krebs Trailhead Park is open.
“I think we are asking for trouble if we don’t do something,” Thallemer said.
Thallemer also suggested there be small pedestrian crossing signs installed at the intersection.
Greg Schroeder, traffic commission member, said there could be a noise issue generated from semi trucks stopping and then starting again if a stop sign will be installed where the truck route is.
Kip Shuter, Warsaw Police Department traffic administrator, presented collision data during the meeting from the past five years for the Jefferson and McKinley Streets intersection.
In 2008, there were no collisions at the intersection. In 2009, there were three collisions at the intersection, two resulting in property damage, and one collision with injury. In 2010 there were no injuries reported. In 2011 there was one injury reported, one involving a collision with an injury. In 2012, there was one injury with property damage, and in 2013 there were no collisions reported.
Shuter said there was a motorcyclist who lost a leg due to a driver from out of town hitting the motorcyclists and the driver not yielding at the intersection.
Shuter said he was told during the ceremony for the Krebs Trailhead Park that drivers don’t stop at the Jefferson and McKinley Street intersection or don’t see cross traffic before they pull out and drive across.
In other business, Cindy Dobbins and Mike Klondaris, traffic commission members, said the unlimited parking spaces the city has created has helped. They said they noticed a difference with drivers using parking spaces on Buffalo, High and Lake streets.[[In-content Ad]]
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There currently are stop signs at the north and south side of Jefferson and McKinley streets. If stop signs are installed at the east and west sides it would be a four-way intersection.
The decision was tabled after discussion, and it was decided for the city to seek projections of pedestrian counts at the area.
The need for installing the stop signs came from issues with drivers not yielding at the intersection, and increased pedestrian traffic that will be generated from Krebs Trailhead Park on McKinley Street, said Jeremy Skinner, city planner.
Skinner said with the way the current intersection is, people are confused on who goes first, causing accidents.
“People pull up to the intersection and wrong, right or indifferent they feel like it’s a four-way stop and they go and then it results in an accident,” Skinner said.
Joe Thallemer, Warsaw mayor, said initially drivers could have a sense of false security crossing Jefferson Street if there is a new stop sign installed.
“People will stop because there is a stop sign there and it will take awhile for drivers to get used to stopping at the intersection,” Thallemer said.
“I don’t have any objections to putting stop or yield signs up at the crosswalk and that certainly puts everyone on alert,” he added.
Thallemer said the city is not only looking at the traffic concerns, but also from a pedestrian safety standpoint now that Krebs Trailhead Park is open.
“I think we are asking for trouble if we don’t do something,” Thallemer said.
Thallemer also suggested there be small pedestrian crossing signs installed at the intersection.
Greg Schroeder, traffic commission member, said there could be a noise issue generated from semi trucks stopping and then starting again if a stop sign will be installed where the truck route is.
Kip Shuter, Warsaw Police Department traffic administrator, presented collision data during the meeting from the past five years for the Jefferson and McKinley Streets intersection.
In 2008, there were no collisions at the intersection. In 2009, there were three collisions at the intersection, two resulting in property damage, and one collision with injury. In 2010 there were no injuries reported. In 2011 there was one injury reported, one involving a collision with an injury. In 2012, there was one injury with property damage, and in 2013 there were no collisions reported.
Shuter said there was a motorcyclist who lost a leg due to a driver from out of town hitting the motorcyclists and the driver not yielding at the intersection.
Shuter said he was told during the ceremony for the Krebs Trailhead Park that drivers don’t stop at the Jefferson and McKinley Street intersection or don’t see cross traffic before they pull out and drive across.
In other business, Cindy Dobbins and Mike Klondaris, traffic commission members, said the unlimited parking spaces the city has created has helped. They said they noticed a difference with drivers using parking spaces on Buffalo, High and Lake streets.[[In-content Ad]]
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