Town of Mansfield
Traffic Authority
Minutes of the Meeting – June 4, 2009
Present: Hart, Hultgren, Padick, Jackman, Kodzis, Meitzler, Noheimer (guest), Grunwald
(guest)
The request for an advance
left green at the 32/275 intersection is still with the DOT.
Hultgren reported that he had met twice with the UConn pedestrian safety committee, spoken with the office
of facilities and that a new study of landscaping and signage was underway for UConn, but that it would still be a while until a
coordinated pedestrian safety program could begin. In the interim he asked to be able to install
two “walk left” signs on Hanks
Hill Road per Ms. Stites
second request. This was agreed to by
Authority members and he will continue to press UConn
to work together on an area-wide program.
The handicapped parking
fines for area Towns were reviewed, noting that many are in the $90 to $100
range but the state fine is $150.
Members favored increasing the Town’s fine to match the state’s fine;
however, it was agreed to check the other types of parking fines for needed
increases prior to making a recommendation to the Council. Hultgren’s staff
will gather this data for the next meeting.
Traffic speeds near 791 Mansfield City Road
were discussed. This area of the road
has been more thickly settled in the last few years. Meitzler’s recent
speed samples were reviewed. The DPW
will obtain more traffic data and check the area for speed signs and
intersection lighting. Additional
enforcement in this area may also be needed.
The speed trailer will be placed here to remind drivers of the speeds
they are traveling.
The Traffic Authority’s
regular meeting date was changed to the 4th Tuesday of each month,
with the next meeting on June 24th.
Mr. Noheimer
addressed the Authority regarding speed and accidents occurring in front of his
residence at 72 Mansfield City
Road. He
said there had been several accidents and many speeders, particularly after
dusk. Kodzis
gave the speed enforcement statistics over the last year for Mansfield City Road. After discussion, the Authority agreed to the
following: 1) The placement of chevrons in the area
just south of Meadowbrook Road; 2)
Moving the “road narrows” sign south (before Meadowbrook Lane) so that
it precedes the narrowing part of the road;
3) Check the intersection
lighting, particularly the NE corner where the road begins to narrow; and 4)
target speed enforcement for this region of Mansfield City Road.
A complaint about speed and
traffic on Puddin
Lane was discussed. With the additional humps on Conantville Road,
Puddin
Lane residents believe more traffic is using Puddin Lane
as a cut-through. The DPW will obtain
current traffic data for Puddin Lane and the matter
will be reviewed at a future meeting.
The steeple chase bike tour
was approved.
Hultgren said that he had received a request for additional
horse signs in the Gurleyville Road area. Members felt that signs on the collector road
in the area (Gurleyville) were warranted by the
amount of traffic on it, but that additional signs on Summit and Woodland Roads were not because of
their low traffic volume.
A request for a crosswalk at
Hillside Circle
and Eastwood Road
was received just before the meeting and referred to the DPW for study and
discussion at a future meeting.
A request to remove the new
speed hump near the brook on Conantville Road was
discussed. Meitzler
said that the hump was needed and part of his original study of where the new
humps should be located. Hultgren reported that the new humps were in the process of
being ground down to a less severe height.
Members did not favor the elimination of the hump so requested.
The Channel 3 kids motorcycle ride was approved.
Respectfully submitted,
Lon Hultgren
Director of Public Works