02/14/1939 Board of Public Safety Minutes

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254 � �? T,TEETIi�dG, Febru^_ry 14, 1939, c� tu.. �'`"' . - � . chasing and installinm traf'fic li�hts in the city of South �3end. � �n iter.� ti^ras included in the 1938 bud;et for improve�ents of tnis �ort �t intersect�cns �Jhich needed such improveznents, but �he equipment yvas not purc��ase�l uncler the budget and the r:lone;r L°�as not re-a�?propri�_ted for 1939. "^1he second reason :for not install 'ng a trai�'ic li��t at t�is intersecticn is that a scientific investi��tien of the facts re- v�aled that a tratiic li�ht at �his in�ersec�ion is mcre .zazardous than be�eficial. �tatis�ica shocv that in the t��relve-�onth ' pei�:i�',. �efore the lir�ht, �°rn.ic'� iras iorrzerl;t at i�lzis intersecti��n, � raas re�noved, th2t there were four accidents ut this intersecticn, Statistics also s�otiJ that in the fifteen r:1^nths since the lir:'_�t `��ras re:��oved, there 'r.�ve cnl� been three accidents at t'zis '_nter- , section. '�A st:_rve`; b�r t��e Traffic �nnineer also discicses ti�at t�.�e traf.fic load over tnis 1ntersection over an eivnt-hour period is 253 cars per liour frc��1 a_ll directions. Tize �tatienal Con- ference cn Stree�L and I�i;1��1ay �afet;r and t�ze A.nerican Association of State i i�h�°aa�, Officials, tir'no h�,ve :r.ade a n�.t�on-ti�r;de studS�. over several �eurs of traific condit-ions throu�ho�.t t'�e na.tion and the need for automatic control liVhts at intersections, recolr.mend t�zat no li,�hts be �nstalled u�, an� intersection unless �here is an avera�e vehicular trafiic load at tize intersection of a� least one thousand cars Y,�er hour over an ei�ht-hour period frori all directions and that at lea�t t�.vo nundred fifty vehicles per hour rnust be en the minor street. You d��ill note �'_�at the survey i�lade at th's intersection indicates that the traffic there does not come an�*��inere near the realt:irem_ents for a stop and �o si�n. "tiVe did find, as a resu.lt of tlzis investi��ation, t:�at certain conditions exist �t this corner �:inich contributed to the accidents s.�rhich occurred there and v�hicn should be elir:lirated. One �:ras ti�e exister_ce oi advertis�n; s��;ns in :�ront of the fillin;� station located on the nort�ieast �orner vJ:nich interfered .=rit3� and tended to decrease t�ze efzectiveness of tlze stop sivn located on that corner. t''TJe also found that, _perhaps, the stop s_�ns at this �nter- section are not of sufficient size �o be sU_ificiently seen in order �Lo atte?�lpt to improve �;he situation at the :�ntersecticn. ';Je have ordered the si�:ns tivhich in�erfere �r�tn t he vision of the stop si;;n rer�oved and 'nave also ordered lar�er stop si�;ns to be� placed at the intersecti�n. These si�ns have not �Tet arrivel but �rill in a s'zort per�od of tirae and as soon as they are re- ceived, thef cJill be installed. "�'Te trus� that this explanat�on ansti-�ers �Tcur inruiry �nd that the im�-rever�ents i��ade at tlzis intersection `^rill decrease �n.e pos- �ibilit� ef accic�ents in the iuture. �Je a�preciate �our interest in this situ�tion and assure �ou that vre, at all t imes, ZRrelcome su��estions th�t ma� heln us in an attem�t to render service to the public, r' FIR� DEP��TiK�Ei�tT: Chief DeVleescno�aer pr�sent. Chief DeVleescno�°�er vras present and matters �ertainin� to :�zis de- �art�ent �rere discussed. `IJLIGF?T� w T:iE�'�.SL��S: Charles Burns fileci �zis report for �ne �•reel� end-in^; February 13, 1�.�39, s'zovrin}r 203 ins�ections zrhicn z•�r�.s o..rdered nlaced en �"ile. ?rleetin�; adjourned at 4:10 P.rT. _ � ,e%�,c� CHA=Ri.i��I AT �S' : ' � � CLERK