Bison Lane is a two-way road that runs parallel to and between Lake and Buffalo streets and intersects with a one-way alley that goes west from Buffalo to Lake.
During the Warsaw Traffic Commission meeting Wednesday, the board discussed if the intersection needed to be an all-way stop or if Bison Lane should be a one-way street going north.
Street Superintendent Dustin Dillon first brought the intersection up at the commission’s July meeting to have the board members thinking about it. He said Wednesday that there’s currently not a stop sign at that intersection. The street department has put up new one-way signs along the alley, as well as a stop sign where the alley T’s into Lake Street along with a no-entry sign.
“The intersection still seems to be a concern with people flying down from Buffalo headed toward Lake Street, flying through that intersection. There’s been several near-misses and just some concern brought up,” Dillon explained.
He said it’s an area of growing traffic with everything that’s going on at the parks and downtown events.
Traffic Administrator Lance Grubbs said 15 mph through that alley seems fast, especially since there is a blind corner at the intersection.
Dillon said Bison Lane currently is still two-way travel and he and City Planner Justin Taylor had some conversations about that.
“If you’re headed west in the alley and approach Bison Lane, with the condos there, it’s very hard to see without completely coming to a stop when somebody’s headed south on that road,” Dillon said.
Warsaw Police Department Capt. Joel Beam said they haven’t had any crashes at the intersection, but almost. He went through the intersection himself a couple days ago. He was going south slowly on Bison Lane up to the alley when a car went right in front of him. If he had been going faster or not looking, there could have been an incident.
“Generally, you stop on the road that has the least amount of traffic and let the other one flow. But because there is a slight obstruction both ways, going south, and also west, my recommendation would be to make it an all-way stop,” Beam said.
Dillon and city engineer Aaron Ott agreed that if they wanted to make it an all-way stop, there would need to be a traffic study. Ott said the study doesn’t need to be anything overboard or cumbersome, and he would be willing to start a traffic study and maybe get assistance from the Michiana Area Council of Government (MACOG).
Dillon asked about making Bison Lane a one-way road headed north as that would eliminate most obstructions to drivers’ lines of sight. Beam agreed. Ott offered to evaluate that option as well as the all-way stop option.
Taylor said, historically, there was a four-way stop at the intersection but they ended up having to pull them out because of ordinance issues. Taylor said there was a “lot to consider” regarding the intersection, Bison Lane and the alley.
Beam made a motion for Ott to do a traffic study on Bison Lane. Councilwoman Cindy Dobbins seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.
The commission then looked at making a number of parking spaces next to the Justice Building as “reserved parking - permits needed” parking spaces.
Beam explained, “So, there’s been a request to have some designated parking spots for criminal justice purposes over at the courthouse. I think that’s a fantastic idea.”
He said it will involve six to eight parking spots on the north and south sides of the Justice Building. The reserved parking spaces will need ordinances that will require the Warsaw Common Council’s approval.
Dobbins asked if the parking spaces’ permits would be for 24/7.
“Generally speaking, parking downtown is not enforced after 5 (p.m.). So it would be during the work week,” Beam said, and not on weekends.
The city’s parking enforcement officer would enforce the by-permit-only parking spaces and the city also would issue the permits. The enforcement of those parking rules would require amendments to the city’s ordinances.
Taylor said, “Initially, when we looked at this last time, I think I had some trepidations about the potential for this to snowball. But I think this is an extraordinary situation where we do have very legitimate safety concerns. I think it makes sense to move forward with this request and give a recommendation to council to approve it as an ordinance.”
Taylor made a motion to give a favorable recommendation to the city council on the ordinance for the parking spots. Commission member Connie Fribley seconded it, and it was approved by seven commission members with Dobbins abstaining.
Later, toward the end of the meeting, Beam said the WPD reminds everyone that Warsaw Schools starts the 2023-24 school year on Friday.
“So we’ll have yellow buses with flashing lights, kids walking, parents walking, students driving to school, so just urging everyone to use caution and to be careful,” Beam said. “We will have increased patrol ... to help with that endeavor.”
In other business, the Traffic Commission:
• Heard an update on the Washington Street and Ind. 25W (Winona Avenue) intersection.
At the July meeting, Tina Phipps explained the damage she had to her property at 223 W. Winona Ave. due to crashes in front of her business and home there.
Dana Plattner, Indiana Department of Transportation district traffic engineer, also happened to be at the July meeting. He took a look at Phipps’ concerns, agreed that something could be done and put another stop sign on the opposite side of Washington Street, according to Grubbs.
Dillon reported his department also moved the railroad crossing sign further to the north so as not to block drivers’ views of the stop sign.
Fribley said she talked to Phipps and Phipps was happy about the signs, but felt it was only a band-aid. Phipps would like to see a parking spot on the west side of Washington Street near Winona Avenue be removed or moved back. If a vehicle - especially a truck or bigger vehicle - is parked in that parking spot, then semis turning to go to the Post Office can’t make their turn.
Dillon said he will look into the parking spaces in that area.
• Thanked David Allbritten for his three years on the commission. Allbritten, a former ATF agent, moved over to serve on the Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory board and resigned from the Traffic Commission.
Grubbs said the mayor and mayor-elect will make a decision on who will replace Allbritten on the Traffic Commission.
The next meeting will be at 1 p.m. Sept. 5 in the council chambers at City Hall.