05/22/1978 Board of Public Works Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING MAY 22, 1978 LETTER RE: NORTH SHORE - MICHIGAN SIGNAL INSTALLATION The following letter was received by the Board: "Residents living in the area of the North Michigan intersection have worked hard to safety of that intersection. Caution lig the traffic signals were installed by the between the thoroughfare and the sidewalk were constructed just recently. Shore -North improve the its prior to City and barriers on the bridge 123 Thus you can understand their amazement when they found out at two recent neighborhood organizations' meeting that the traffic signals at the intersection were to be programmed for a continuous green light on Michigan, thus requiring a manual operation for walk lights. A red light on Michigan would be activited when a vehicle entered a "looped area" for a left turn. If my memory is correct, all the people attending both meetings expressed concern that this type of traffic control would increase the danger of the intersection. The neighbors were doubly concerned learned from the workmen working at signals were to be programmed for a Michigan. Both the residents and I movement of traffic, but not at the and motorists who have to cross Mic when a few weeks the intersection continuous green are for progress expense of the ni iigan . later, they that the light on in the =destrians Thus, we are asking the Board of Public Works to keep the following factors in mind when making a final decision on the traffic regulation plan for the North Shore -North Michigan intersection. (1) There is a question of whether young children will adequately understand that they have to press a button and wait for a walk light. If they do not grasp that idea, they may lose patience and attempt to cross Michigan on a green signal. (2) There would appear to be more than sufficient vehicular and pedestrian traffic crossing Michigan at North Shore to justify regularly occurring red signals on Michigan and regularly occurring walk lights. (3) Human beings are should foster th of motorists and signal changes i where many young continuous green during low peak creatures of habit. Traffic regulations e development of safe habits on the part pedestrians. Randomly occurring traffic s therefore not desirable, especially children are involved. Possibly, a light on Michigan might be appropriate traffic from 9:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Please consider our concerns in making your decision. s/ Roger 0. Parent Mr. McMahon responded that this type of installation is not new but has been installed at twenty -nine other intersections in the City - eighteen on city streets and eleven on state routes. This type of installation was put in at Crestwood and Edison and also at Corby, Ironwood and Rockne and works well. The School Corporation approves such installations and thirteen of them involve school crossings. The only time the actuated signal would not be working is when there is no traffic on North Shore and that would be minimal. Mr. McMahon