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Residents press for crosswalk painting, speed signs and school speed cushions after reports of high speeds
Summary
Residents asked council to repaint crosswalks and address speeding on Indiana Avenue; staff said tree removals reduced capacity and that INDOT has been asked about a digital speed sign; council discussed speed cushions near Riley School and asked staff to review A Street parking and Crescent Avenue speed signage.
Public comments and council discussion at the Sept. 15 La Porte Common Council meeting focused on traffic safety, crosswalk maintenance and speeding on city streets.
Resident Rick Ogle told the council he has observed motorcycles reaching 60–70 mph on Indiana Avenue and asked the city to repaint intersections and crosswalks, and to install speed signage. Mr. Ogle said a digital speed display had been proposed to INDOT at the Hathaway-Indiana intersection but that INDOT had not yet approved it.
Council members and staff said the street department’s ability to repaint crosswalks has been constrained this year by tree-removal work and limited crew capacity; the mayor asked residents to identify specific crosswalks for priority repainting. Jeff Bachelor, director of code, was cited as coordinating speed-sign installation on Crescent Avenue and the street department said it will consider placing a sign on an existing pole.
Council members also reported traffic-calming measures in detour areas and said the traffic commission and school have asked staff to install a “speed cushion” near Riley School to slow vehicles without the aggressiveness of traditional speed bumps. The mayor and staff said the cushion concept is under consideration and that the traffic commission is reviewing the request. Council members further asked a future review of A Street parking after observed student driving incidents, and flagged the Fox and Kingsbury stop-sign detours as having reduced speeds after resident involvement in the traffic-calming design.
No formal traffic ordinance or budget appropriation was adopted Sept. 15; staff agreed to follow up on signage requests, prioritize crosswalk repainting where specified and continue traffic-commission work on school-area calming.
