Traffic Panel Seeks To Reduce School-Zone Speed Limits
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Warsaw Traffic Safety Commission wants drivers to slow down and be aware of school zones.
The commission Thursday approved submitting an ordinance to the Warsaw City Council to allow the traffic commission to reduce speed limits near schools that are in the Warsaw city limits when school is in session.
The commission wants to reduce speeds by 10 miles per hour within 100 feet of school property. The limits would apply an hour before school begins and an hour after school lets out.
Lt. Kip Shuter said the commission wants to make school zones safer for students, drivers and faculty.
The Warsaw Street Department installed signs on Husky Trail in front of Harrison Elementary School in September, requiring traffic to slow down, Shuter said.
The speed limit along Husky Trail in front of Harrison Elementary School is 35 miles per hour, but a sign now informs drivers the speed limit has been reduced by 10 miles to 25 miles per hour.
The reduced speed limit applies to one hour before school begins and one hour after school lets out Monday through Friday.
Other new signs along Husky Trail indicate there is a school zone ahead, a sign that reads 25 miles per hour ahead, and a sign notifying drivers when the school zone ends.
The street department also put pavement markings on the road to make drivers aware of the school zone.
The commission also discussed downtown parking.
A parking control employee conducted a downtown parking study this summer to assess the parking situation for on-street and city lot parking.
The study was conducted May 24-25, 29-30 where on-street parking and city lot parking traffic counts were taken during the morning, afternoon and evening.
Shuter presented the study to the commissioners and said it found that there are enough parking spaces in downtown.
The study showed there were 50 percent of on-street and city parking used each day, and 50 percent of open spaces.
City Planner Jeremy Skinner said there have been perceptions that there is not enough parking in the downtown and the study clears those perceptions.
"The study gives us a good ideas as a traffic commission of what is going on and clarifies the issue," Skinner said.
He suggested the study be conducted every six months to assess the parking situation in downtown.
The commission also:
n Approved extending two-hour parking on the south side of Center Street between Washington and Columbia streets.
n Approved not allowing parking on Eagle Street from Union Street to Logan Street.
n Rejected a request for a four-way stop at CR 175E and CR 75N.
Commissioner Ann Sweet said she will speak next week in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., about red light running as a spokesperson for the National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running.
Traffic commission members are Sweet, Skinner, Dan Robinson, Greg Schroeder, Lacy Francis and council representatives George Clemens, Bill Rhoades and Joe Thallemer.
