05/11/1981 Board of Public Works Minutes

Home Browse Search

REGULAR MEETING DISCUSSION RE: MEMORIAM HOSPITAL DIRECTIONAL SIGNAGE MAY 11, 1981 Mr. Lewis McGann, Fourth District Councilman, appeared before the Board with representatives from Memorial Hospital and North American Signs concerning the request of the hospital to erect emergency directional signage on city right -of -way in the tree lawn areas around the hospital. He stated that the matter had been referred to the Bureau of Traffic and Lighting on April 28, 1981, and according to Mr. Wadzinski, Manager of the Bureau of Traffic and Lighting, the Board was to consider the matter at its meeting today. He stated that the signs were proposed at Bartlett and Michigan, and Navarre and Michigan, and at the driveway just west of Michigan on Navarre. He explained that the hospital has become a regional facility with medical office buildings, the hospital itself and the hospital emer- gency room. He stated that the hospital and North American Signs have gone to great lengths to receive approval from the State Highway Commission to erect these signs in the public right -of -way without creating a hazard to motorists. He urged that the city also approve the location of these signs at the points above mentioned. He stated that Councilman Joseph Serge was in support of the erection of the signs, but was not able to attend the meeting. Mr. Kernan apologized to Mr. McGann and the representatives from the hospital and sign company that the recommendation from the Bureau of Traffic and Lighting had not yet come back to the Board for its consideration. He assured Mr. McGann and those attending in support of the signs that their comments would. be recorded in the minutes and considered by the Board when action was given in the future. Mr. Hill stated that part of the reason that the Board did not yet have a recommendation from the Bureau of Traffic and Lighting was that there was a general feeling that additional review be made on the subject. He stated that it was the city's policy that no signs are constructed in public right -of -way because of potential liability, something in which the city was involved at the current time. He also pointed out that another hospital had once before come to the city for permission to erect such signs and had been turned down by the city. He stated that he understood the concern of the hospital to have the signs erected, but he wanted to do the right thing and not leave the city open for potential liability problems. He expressed the need for further review of the matter. Mr. McGann felt that the request of Memorial Hospital for the signs was a unique situation as compared to the other hospital's request. He stated that Memorial Hospital was built right up to the sidewalk line around the perimeter of the entire block so there was no room on hospital property for the location of such signs. Mr. Hill admitted that perhaps there was certain options and d.ifferent conditions existed; however, he still felt the need to thoroughly study the request. Mr. Leszczynski stated that the original plans which were submitted by the sign company were incorrect and some confusion resulted in the exact location and type of the signs. He asked if that matter had been corrected. Mr. Gene Nichols, a representative from North American Signs, stated that the plans had been revised and submitted. He stated that a cardboard mock -up of the sign area was also available if the Board cared to look at it. Mr. Leszczynski advised that the Board would like the opportunity to view and study the corrected plans prior to rendering a decision. Mr. Peter Brockhaus, Vice - President of Memorial Hospital, spoke in favor of the erection of the signs, pointing out that the hospital was the largest in the region and serves more than 37,000 emergency patients annually. He stated that a number of possible locations for the signs were checked into and considerable study had gone into the project, it being the conclusion of the hospital staff that the signage should be placed in the public right -of -way to provide maximum visibility to potential patients. He introduced Dr. Robert King, in charge of the hospital's Emergency Room Physicians. Dr. King, too, spoke in support of the project, stating that 80% of the people using the hospital's facilities travel by private car and 60% to 70% are from outside the immediate hospital zip code area and are not familiar with the traffic pattern around the hospital. He also stated that many ambulance drivers from surrounding communities have experienced difficulties in negotiating the layout around the hospital and getting into the emergency room without wasting precious time. Mrs. Kingsafer, Head Nurse in the Emergency Room, talked about various cases when people have come in for emergency situations and have been confronted with the traffic problems, conjestion and one -way pattern around the hospital. Mr. Nichols advised the Board that approval of the signs had been given from the LaPorte Office and the Indianapolis State Highway Commission, and he hoped for the city's support, too. Mr. Leszczynski asked about the bond requirements stipulated by the state, and Mr. Nichols stated that no bond had been required. Mr. Noel Yarger, President of North American Signs, spoke regarding the liability problem which Mr. Hill was concerned about.