11/10/1975 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mayor Anderson called attention to the letters received from South Willamette residents, also a petition for a flashing light. He recommended tabling the item to give the Council an opportunity to review those items. / e Councilman Bradley thought there should be temporary measures taken and that a flash- ing yellow light and speed reduction were the minimum the city should do. He said he would like an opportunity to read the letters and petition presented, but because of the seriousness of the problem, the staff should be delegated the responsibility of installing a temporary light and initiating procedure through the State Speed Control Board for reducing the speed as requested. Councilwoman Beal asked how expensive or difficult the installation requested would be, and whether it would be a "dead" loss when permanent improvements were undertaken. Don Allen, public works director, answered that the cost would be between $4000 and $5000. He said there would be no question that the equipment could be removed and used at other locations. Councilman Murray noted the usual procedure of giving consideration to these types of installations in a priority list at budget preparation time and wondered if there was any possibility the requested installation would be considered a priority item in the list for next year's budget. Manager replied that the list could change as situations change, the present proposal for improvement in that area is high on the current list, and some changes have already been made as well as operational changes made by the school itself. Mr. Allen added that major improvements have already been initiated. ' by the Council which would correct much of the situation causing concern at 46th and Wi11amette. He didn't think, however, that these improvements, given the list of priorities for the entire city, would come to the top of the list by the next con- struction year. e Councilman Hamel asked whether there were portable installations, particularly any type of light, or perhaps crossing guards that could be used until the street improvements were made. Mr. Allen said not, that they were maintenance problems. He said it could be debated whether a flashing light was proper at all for an intersection of that type. Councilman Bradley questioned the cost of temporary installations compared to the lives of children. He wondered if there were legal restrictions to people of the area shar- ing in the cost, or whether there was a contingency fund to which the cost could be charged. He considered protection measures a high priority item and thought the city should do something. Manager concurred on the values involved, but noted several other intersections in the city where the same question could be raised. He said it would be unfair to those neighborhoods to ignore the priority list. Councilman Murray recalled reviewing a long list of intersections with high priority needs for improvement because of the accident frequency and wondered where 46th and Willamette was on that list. Mr. Allen replied that, it wasn't even on that list - a list of 79 intersections with accident history. Councilman Haws wondered then what tbe answer would be considering staff advice was that the requested installations would not solve the problem. Mrs. Beal said she thought the problems would be taken care of when the proposed improvements were made. She asked when they were scheduled. Mr. Allen answered that it would be up to the Council . Mrs. Expressed full confidence in staff recommendations but at the same time, she said, when so many were concerned about the hazard, something should be done. If the cost of $4000 or $5000 was recoverable she didn't see how the Council could e hesitate. Councilman Bradley wondered if other intersections higher on the priority list had the same situation of school children crossing, or whether they involved auto accidents in situations where major arterials crossed. Manager assumed several could involve school children, but there was no indication of how many. 5"9e; 11/10/75 - 23