HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-13-21 Public Comment - M. Barber - SID 762 S. 6th AveFrom: Matt Barber
To: Taylor Lonsdale
Subject: Traffic calming vs stop sign question
Date: Wednesday, January 13, 2021 7:49:26 PM
Hi Taylor -
Thank you for your time with the meeting this evening. I live on the NE corner of 6th and
Koch with my desk facing Cooper Park. I'm a strong advocate for a traffic circle, stop signs,
speed bumps, trenches and flashing lights at our intersection after watching people race
east/west on Koch at 30+mph all the time without even tapping their brakes at the
intersection.
In all seriousness, I think a traffic circle is a great start and strongly support one at our
intersection as part of the 6th ave improvements. My question is to understand more about
stop signs in the neighborhood outside of this project. I've lived in small mountain towns,
slightly larger suburbs and large urban areas and other than places with only dirt roads, I'm not
familiar with streets that have our level of traffic and no stop sign in either direction.
Koch has no stop signs from 19th to 8th but the north/south streets at those intersections do.
Drivers start on 19th and can drive without slowing down (other than 11th) because the
oncoming traffic is supposed to. There is no way for a driver to know that as they continue
east across 8th that they are entering a zone on Koch where the north/south traffic is no longer
required to stop. I watch all day as those drivers speed along without glancing left or right and
without tapping their brakes through the intersection. 6th and Koch is the first time they
encounter a 4way intersection east of 8th and they are still in the mindset of being west of 8th.
I get the idea that people speed up mid block, I get that there is environmental impact of
stopping and starting, but why isn't there a more comprehensive plan for alternating stop signs
throughout the neighborhood so that there are two way stops at each intersection allowing for
smooth traffic flow? I don't want to add more emissions or speeding halfway down the block
but my biggest concern is my child crossing the intersection to walk over to the park. In my
mind pedestrian safety at the intersection outweighs speeding mid block or increased
emissions.
I hope I don't come across as a difficult neighbor, I just have never lived in a place with this
much traffic and unregulated intersections and would like to understand why it's good for
other towns of this size but not here? Or even here, why it is good for Koch west of 8th and
not east of 8th?
I would love to hear your thoughts and if it's easier for a brief call rather than a long email I'm
available.
Have a great evening,
-Matt Barber
517 W. Koch Street (NE corner of 6th and Koch)
Matt Barber
Owner - Tom Morgan Rodsmiths
tommorganrodsmiths.com
matt@morganrods.com
406-600-6015