Monona Public Safety Commission Recommends Speed Tables

By a unanimous vote, at tonight's meeting the Monona Public Safety Commission recommended the installation of three speed tables on Winnequah Road between Maywood Road and Bridge Road. The commission also recommended the installation of crosswalks and additional speed limit signs. (Member Jim Bisbee was not present due to other obligations.)

Alder Mike Veserat also made a motion a to install stop signs on Winnequah Road at three intersection (Maywood, Frostwoods, and Bridge). The motion died for lack of a second.

Mayor Robb Kahl and alder Jim Busse also attended.

The recommendation will go to Public Works, probably for its March meeting. I expect the city council to take up the matter sometime in the Spring. It is fair to say there will be plenty more discussion on the issue.

Assuming the proposal goes forward there will be numerous design considerations to resolve.

The commission also recommended the removal of the bumpouts, including straightening the curb line and flattening the walkways. The cost of the removal is unknown and it seemed to me it was generally understood by the commission that there is not funding in the budget for the removal. Flattening some the walkways and straightening the curbs might not be too expensive at some of the intersections, but there are storm sewer inlets at some of the intersections and that would increase the cost of any change at those locations.

Winnequah Road - What to do?

The weather and Winnequah Road - everybody talks about them, but nobody does anything.

So, what do you think the city should do with lower Winnequah Road (from Maywood Road to Bridge Road)?

Pick one or more or add your own idea. Please also include whether you live on that stretch of Winnequah Road or just drive on it.

Leave it the way it is?
Add sidewalks?
Remove the 'bumpouts'?
Install stop signs?
Install traffic calming devices?
More police speed enforcement?
Neighborhood speed watch?
Other?

"My favorite word in English is 'youneverknow.' "

"There is one word in America that says it all, and that one word is, 'You never know.'"

Tonight's city council action with regard to the width of the Monona Drive sidewalk put in my mind of the quote from former major league baseball pitcher Joaquin Andujar.

After hearing from a full house that was evenly split between support and opposition, the Monona city council voted to indefinitely postpone consideration of reducing the sidewalk width from the planned 8' to 6'. Alder Kugle made the motion and I seconded it. After some discussion the council voted 4-2 to indefinitely postpone the matter (Alders Wiswell and Veserat voted nay). The effect is that the matter is dead, the width stays at 8'.

(Theoretically, two alders could bring the matter back again, but it is hard to imagine anyone having the stomach for that.)

***

The council quickly and unanimously adopted the 25X25 and energy independence resolution. Resolution 09-10-1655, Supporting "25 x 25" Energy Goal

***

The proposals to consolidate the p[art-time fire chief and full-time EMS Director positions into one full-time position overseeing both departments was referred to the Public Safety Committee.

Resolution 09-10-1661, Eliminating the EMS Director and Transferring Duties to the Fire Chief and Developing Policies for the Fire Department and Ordinance 10-09-608, Relating to the Duties of the Fire Chief and the Fire Prevention/EMS Director

Answering Crossing Questions

In this week's Herald, Sunny Schubert asks "Where did those pedestrian crosswalk signs come from?" Actually, the ped signs at Maywood Park, on Nichols for Maywood School, on Schluter for Winnequah School have been used for about a year or so - longer for some of the locations. The newest ped sign is located on Winnequah Road at Healy Lane.

I requested the installation of that last sign (and the mayor agreed and directed its installation) because of the large number of peds, especially young kids, walking across the street to ball games at Emily Derer Field. That field is very heavily used especially in late spring and early summer. Since the sign went up I have personally observed cars actually stopping for pedestrians crossing the street!

I am aware of one (persistent) complaint from a dedicated walker who has been squeezed by cars as she walks along the road in that area (there may be other complaints, but I have not heard them). Sidewalks would be a good idea in that vicinity (the one along nearby Healy Lane has proven immensely popular), but that does not seem likely anytime soon.

Walkers could step behind the curb for a moment to let cars pass - not ideal - but it's trade off that improves safety for far more people, including lots of youngsters. When I bike through there, I either slow down to let vehicles get ahead of me or move over to the middle of the lane - briefly - if I am far enough ahead of following traffic to do it safely. Not ideal, but not a big deal either.

Sunny also had the rotten luck to send her column off to the printer stating there was no crosswalk at the Winnequah/Healy location just as the city laid down the crosswalk markings early this week. She also asked about conflicts with snowplows. The signs are removed in winter so snowplowing is not an issue.

Budget questions

Sunny also notes the city's recent acquisition of $165,000 to buy a building across from the high school while at the same time "asking" all its employees - including the police - to take an unpaid day off to close a $75,000 budget gap.

She tartly suggests, "Perhaps some city honcho would care to communicate why there IS money to buy a dumpy building, but there ISN'T money to pay city employees...". Good question. Basically, the acquisition is a capital expenditure and the money to pay salaries is from the operating budget. We could not take the $165,000 from capital funds and apply it to the operating budget without violating state law on levy limits.

By the way, that land purchase is part of a long-term and much need redevelopment goal. We bought the building because it is dumpy and in a block that badly needs a do over. Nonetheless, her basic point about communication - or lack of same - is well taken.

In particular, the city administration could use a short press release to more clearly and succinctly tell the residents and employees the reasons for the shortfall and how much money will be saved from the furloughs.

Let me be clear, no one is hiding anything; this has all been discussed at city council and/or finance committee meetings, but communication could have been better both to the public and to staff. When you are involved in this stuff up to the top of your waders, it is easy to forget that almost no one else is following it that closely. On the other hand, the Herald did report:

According to City Administrator Pat Marsh, the deficit was projected at roughly $75,000 halfway through the year. At that point, the city instituted a hiring ban, including not replacing a position at dispatch, and shifted some expenditures from the general fund to the water utility. At that point, said Marsh, the deficit was still projected between $10,000 and $15,000, which will be made up through furloughs of city employees. Marsh stressed that the city is continually evaluating the situation and looking at other areas for potential savings.

The shortfall is real and it is due to falling revenue and not over-spending the budget. Primary sources of the shortfall, all related to the staggering economy, are a near disappearance of interest income, issuance of very few building permits, dropping community center income, and dropping room tax revenues (still seems like I am forgetting something). A shortfall in outdoor pool income is one that can't be blamed on the economy, but instead is due to the cool summer weather.

As for Sunny's dog vomit fungus.....gee, thanks for sharing!

Chickens on the Frontburner Again

At its meeting on Monday, July 2o, the Monona city council will take up the Consideration of Ordinance 02-09-591 Amending the Code of Ordinances to Allow the Keeping of Chickens in Single-Family and Two-Family Residence Districts. Yeah, finally, a decision.


The council will also take up the installation of stop signs on Midmoor Road at Greenway Road (to create a 4-way stop), a proposal to squeeze the sidewalk along the west side of Monona Drive and to choose a reconfiguration of the Cottage Grove Road/Monona Drive Intersection.

You can see the full agenda: AGENDA 7/20/09.pdf

The packet has not been posted yet, but when it is, it will be here: http://www.mymonona.com/pages/calendar/details.php/41/city+council/2009-07-20/

Monona Public Safety Commission Rejects Chickens

Among other items, the Monona Public Safety Commission voted unanimously to reject the proposed ordinance to allow the keeping of chickens in residential districts. (The Commission Chair, me, does not vote except in the case of a tie vote.) There was little discussion, but one concern expressed was that the city is lacking in the area of code enforcement and this chicken ordinance would add to the enforcement duties. I did point out that the city has received no complaints about the existing chicken coops.

Here is the commission's main listing.

In other action, the Commission approved the 5-year capital plans for Fire, EMS, Emergency Communications, and Police. Big ticket items include an ambulance in 2012 for $160,000 and an ongoing upgrade to the police/dispatch record management system.

PSC Agenda Item 5a Emer Com Cap.pdf

PSC Agenda Item 5a EMS and FD.pdf

PSC Agenda Item 5a Law Enf Cap.pdf

PSC Agenda Item 5a PD Fleet Mileage.pdf

The Commission approved the addition of stop signs at Midmoor and Greenway to make it a 4-way stop intersection. PSC Agenda Item 6a.pdf

The Commission also approved a three-year extension of the agreement with MG School District and the Village of Cottage Grove for a school relations officer. PSC Agenda Item 6b.pdf

All actions by the Commission are recommendations to the city council and not final decisions.

At a future meeting (probably July 22), the Commission will begin consideration of an ordinance to prohibit the use of cell phones and texting while driving.

The Commission also be looking at a pedestrian safety plan similar to Middleton and Marshfield

Monona Drive Phase Two - A Compromise and a Crash?

The Monona Drive ad hoc committee met this morning to make decisions regarding Phase Two (Winnequah Road north to Cottage Grove Road). The committee conditionally adopted a compromise between the city of Madison and the city of Monona with regard to the configuration of the Monona Drive/Cottage Grove Road intersection.

Broadly speaking, Madison had favored retention of the existing 'slip lane' (variously called a 'hot lane' or 'blow by lane') for soutbound traffic while Monona had favored creating a 4-legged intersection and eliminating the 'slip lane'. The main problem for Madison was the needed real estate north of Cottage Grove Road. Madison tentatively proposed eliminating the bike lanes on the small section north of Cottage Grove Road. (Bike lanes will be retained through the rest of the project).

(For details on the alternatives go here:Monona Drive Update)

However, word has it that Monona may be due for some in-fighting over the width of the sidewalk on the west side of the roadway in Phase Two. The original plan (and consequently the all-important 'environmental document' called for a 10'-wide sidewalk or multiuse path). This increased width would partially accommodate recreational bikers who will continue to use that sidewalk whether there are bike lanes in the roadway or not. The committee later approved a reduction to 8', the bare minimum to still remain faithful to the intent of the plan approved in the environmental document.

The committee has consistently and repeatedly supported a widened walkway or multiuse path in the plan over the past 6 years. Well, some folks who live along that stretch don't like this part of the plan. Former Mayor Lichtfeld has pledged to "fight it tooth and nail." Apparently, the opposition has garnered some Monona city council support. I say 'apparently' because none of the alders present this morning voiced that opposition (Alder Mike Veserat and I are on the committee and alders Thomas and Busse were in attendance).

Bear in mind that with federal money come the federal procedures, restrictions, protections and so forth. We take the money, we play by their rules.

I think the 8'-wide path is the right thing to do. It will acknowledge the reality of the type of users and make it safer by improving sightlines and by creating increased clear traveling width. Perhaps a bigger issue is that changing to a 5' or 6' wide sidewalk would require a reopening of the environmental document that would delay the second phase of the project beyond 2011. That delay would knock us out of our current funding slot in the MPO plan (although I think the chances are small we would actually lose the funding).

It would be a painful irony if we manage to work out our differences with Madison only to shoot ourselves in the foot. Who do we think we are, Cottage Grove?

Stay tuned. The current tentative plan is for the council to have a first reading about the Phase Two design this coming Monday, June 1.

Monona Drive Update

Fifteen years until Stoughton Road gets done, but Monona Drive work is just around the corner. We also had a meeting last week on the Monona Drive Project.


Some updates:


Phase One (Broadway to Nichols) begins this August 2009. (Details: Construction Stages) You may have noticed some utility work already. MG&E (Madison Gas and Electric Company - Madison, Wisconsin) is relocating some gas lines from Kings Row to Femrite Drive.


Bid opening for Phase 1 is June 9.


The plan is to bury the overhead power lines between Broadway and Nichols as part of Phase 1.


Most of the work this year will be behind the curbs and also building a temporary lane along the east side in order provide a minimum of three traffic lanes at all times and to be ready to start full rebuild in the spring of 2010.

***

Phase Two (north end of Winnequah Road to Cottage Grove Road) is scheduled for 2011. The Monona Drive Advisory (Ad-Hoc) committee has approved a typical section for the project from Winnequah to Buckeye. Basically, that section will be rebuilt as is, but with an 8'-wide sidewalk on the west side. The Winnequah Road intersection will be rebuilt as a standard 4-legged intersection.


Besides, the widened sidewalk, the biggest point of contention is the design of the Cottage Grove intersection. Madison leans toward rebuilding with the current design, including the slip lane. Monona leans toward reconfiguring the intersection to a 4-legged intersection that would include Ferchland Place. This issue needs to be resolved soon to stay on the 2011 construction schedule.


For details on the CG Road alternatives, go to page 11 in the Phase II Public Info Meeting 2 Presentation

The next ad hoc committee meeting is May 27 at 7 a.m. at the Library Media Room (yes, seven in the morning).

A Reallly Close Call

To paraphrase Agent Smart, "Missed him by that much!"

Alder Speight on Pedestrian Safety

A guest blog post from Alder Chad Speight on pedestrian safety:

I wanted to address the issue of sidewalks, and more broadly, the need to make our streets safer and more inviting to pedestrians.

Monona is a great community in many ways, but Monona is not a pedestrian-friendly community. The simple fact is that the school district is required to provide busing to many students, at great expense to taxpayers, who would otherwise be able to walk to school if our streets were accommodating to pedestrians.

While it IS possible to walk in the street, or to walk through yards on the public right of way, fewer people walk due to the lack of sidewalks and other design features that would make walking safer. So safer streets would allow us to spend less money busing children.

I have often heard comments from parents that Monona needs more sidewalks, and safer streets. While I allow my children to walk or bike around town on clear, sunny days, I always insist on driving them around town when visibility is poor, since I know they will be in the street. And adults make similar decisions.

The result of driving rather than walking has many ill-effects. We waste money on gas, add more wear and tear on our vehicles and roads; and we are less healthy. Not to mention the negative environmental impact of more pollution.

The Safe Routes To School (SRTS) program was started in 2005 to assist communities like Monona, providing valuable grant funding to help improve pedestrian infrastructure like cross-walks and sidewalks. SRTS was established by a Republican Congress and signed by President Bush for all of the reasons stated above, that walking is better for us that driving, particularly for school children. Monona needs to develop a long-range plan to improve our pedestrian infrastructure, and SRTS is a great program that will help pay for any improvements we make.

I proposed the Friendly Streets Ordinance last summer to initiate discussion in our community about such improvements. We have been discussing improvements at Public Safety and Public Works for the last 4 months. I do NOT believe that Monona needs sidewalks on every street, but I do believe that main thoroughfares, which I identified in my original ordinance, need sidewalks or significant improvements which make pedestrian travel safer.

I believe that the lack of safe streets contributes to the lack of families with young children moving into our community, and I presented my ideas to the Family Attraction Committee last month. Some people argue that Monona will lose it's special character if we add any sidewalks, but I think Dean and Nichols Road are just as much a part of Monona as any other street, and both streets already have sidewalks.

I am not willing to wait for a child or anyone else to be hit by a car to decide that this is a priority. I realize that a very vocal group of sidewalk opponents exist in Monona, but I am willing to speak up for the many people who happen to disagree, but who have been afraid to speak up.

I believe that we need to avoid or reduce cutting down trees, by allowing any new sidewalks to meander around mature trees whenever possible. We will need to evaluate all options carefully. I also have proposed adding sidewalks only on one side of the street, to reduce costs. If we can obtain full grant funding, then no property tax assessments would be required. If only partial funding is obtained, then I would support adding the costs of these improvements into the capital budget, to avoid any special assessments, in recognition that these select new paths are for the benefit of ALL citizens. Since most citizens will never have a sidewalk, the few that might get one should not be assessed for costs that exceed any grant funding. The exception would be my own front yard, which needs a sidewalk, and I would gladly pay that assessment.

I want Monona to retain our great community spirit, and I believe that adding a few sidewalks on main residential thoroughfares will help us continue to thrive and prosper, as a great place to raise a family, or simply a great place to live for people of all ages.

A positive next step would be the formation of a SRTS Task force to create a priority list of improvements that would make our streets safer, and allow the district to reduce busing costs. The SRTS program guide suggests that such a task force be comprised of elected leaders, school administrators, parents, and other concerned citizens.

I hope that we can have a healthy dialogue which leads to real improvements in our great city. Please contact me if you are interested in serving on a task force to address this vital public issue.

Sincerely,

Alderman Chad Speight

Improving Ped Safety on Monona Drive at Cottage Grove Road

In response to pedestrian safety concerns recently expressed at phase 2 public information meeting, the City of Madison has proposed and Dane County and City of Monona have concurred. Hoo-ray for intergovernmental cooperation and comity!

The concern related to crossing Monona Drive on foot at Cottage Grove Road and whether the walk light allowed enough time to get across. A review of the signal operation revealed that the timing is adequate (using the standard four ft/sec.), but problems stem from confusion about the meaning of the signals (the WALK indicator is not intended to get a pedestrian across an intersection. Rather it is the flashing DON’T WALK signal time that provides for that.)

Madison relates that they have installed countdown pedestrian signals that show the pedestrian how much time remains to cross the street—it counts down the flashing don’t walk phase. Madison estimates that this leg could be configured with a countdown ped signal/timer for approximate $800-1000 (If the signal heads need to be replaced the cost would increase an additional $200.). This improvement can be implemented as a short-term fix before the 2011 project.

Monona Budget - Police Update

See previous posts on the Monona city budget: Monona Budget Proposed by Mayor Kahl and Monona Budget Meeting and More on the Monona Budget . To see the budget itself go to: Proposed 2009 Budget.

After the council budget meeting on Thursday (11-13), the Mayor directed staff to work on
an alternative to the additional full-time police officer that involves a combination of overtime and additional stop signs. The proposal is intended to be at least revenue neutral.

Here is the full description the council received:

1. Eliminate the additional speed enforcement officer
2. Increase Police overtime to cover to 2 hours of speed enforcement in the morning and 2 hours during hours in the afternoon.
3. Budget approximately 6 months of overtime for enforcement.
4. Scheduling of the enforcement would be determined by the police chief.
5. Add 10 stop signs in the budget. This will equal stop signs at five intersections.
6. Increase court costs on a traffic ticket by $5 to the allowable state statue amount.
7. Increase other police fines. (currently being reviewed-see attached memo for breakdown)
8. Offset remaining balance by additional court fine revenue.

I would prefer that we gather and analyze the data on speeding before we authorize the OT, but we can rely on the Chief's (actually Lt. Frank Fenton's) acumen to decide where to deploy the OT. The staff can do the data analysis to refine the program at the same time.
I do not support using stop signs to control speed for several reasons, the primary being that study after study has shown that using stop signs to reduce speed does not work. http://www.ite.org/traffic/tcsop/Chapter5c.pdf Look at page 4. and especially at the graph. Many drivers drive faster after stopping at a stop sign they perceive as unwarranted.
Stop signs are not supposed to be used for speed control. In fact, using stop signs for speed control is inconsistent with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which the city is required by law to follow. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) - FHWA.

https://mail.ci.monona.wi.us/owa/redir.aspx?C=9169b89606124ebfa9c4dcd709801d3c&URL=http%3a%2f%2fmutcd.fhwa.dot.gov%2fpdfs%2f2003r1r2%2fch2b.pdf see 2B.05.
Unwarranted stop signs also tend to decrease respect (compliance) for other stop signs. Unncessary stopping increases pollution and wear and tear on vehicles. But, the main point is that using stop signs to reduce speeding does not work. It's fool's gold.
Here is just one example of a brochure from Bakersfield, CA:

"Many believe that forcing motorists to stop at each intersection will decrease overall speed on the road. However, studies show that stop signs only reduce speed immediately adjacent to the sign. Most drivers accelerate between intersections to make up for time lost at the stop sign. Engineering studies indicate that the inappropriate installation of extra stop signs may cause additional problems such as more rear-end collisions, a redistribution of traffic onto side streets, and drivers ignoring the inappropriate stop signs."To do your own research Google: "stop sign speed control".

http://www.bakersfieldcity.us/cityservices/pubwrks/TrafficEng/TrafficBroc/stopsignssignals-rev1.pdf

Engineered traffic calming would be preferable to stop signs. Traffic calming is not just traffic tables. Narrower streets with sidewalks may work about as well anything. Here is one of many web sites about traffic calming. Traffic Calming Home Page and here is the ITE's library on the same: Traffic Calming Library.

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A further explanation from Mark Houtakker, the city's finance director:
"Following is an example of a typical fine and where each portion is allocated:

A ticket for a speeding violation between 1-15 MPH above the limit is currently $78.80

Of the $78.00: 30.00 goes to the City; 7.80 goes to the State; 18.00 is split with 10.00 to the County and 8.00 to the State for the Crime Lab; and 23.00 is split with 18.00 to the City and 5.00 to the State. A total of $48.00 is collected by the city.

With a $5.00 increase to 28.00 there is the potential of increasing the cities revenue by 10% on each citation with 53.00 being collected on a standard citation of $83.80."