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Committee approves Academy of Excellence school permit with traffic-study and traffic-flow conditions
Summary
A conditional-use permit for the Academy of Excellence at 6021 W. Lincoln Ave. and 2307 S. 60th St. was approved as amended after committee members required a traffic study and a directed traffic-flow plan (right-in, right-out on 60th) to address safety concerns at a busy intersection.
The City of West Allis economic development committee approved a conditional-use permit for the proposed Academy of Excellence school, adding conditions that the applicant complete a traffic study and develop a traffic-flow plan to reduce midblock crossings at the Sixtieth Street frontage.
The school's attorney, Mike Dean, and founder/administrator Randy Melchert answered committee questions about enrollment, building condition and transportation. The applicant said the proportion of students who are bused should remain similar to current operations and that maintenance and some building work are required but that the structure has viable spaces for classroom use. Engineering staff said the site plan had been reviewed for access and bus staging and recommended ensuring safe pedestrian passage in the parking lot.
Committee members repeatedly raised safety concerns about the Sixtieth and Lincoln intersection, noting a history of crashes in recent years and that the city's most recent traffic study for the area dated from 2010. The committee agreed the applicant should hire a traffic consultant to provide AM/PM peak-hour counts and trip-generation analysis; engineering staff said a private consultant could typically complete a focused peak-hour traffic memo in about 30 days if the applicant has a firm lined up.
An amendment approved by the committee requires the applicant to provide a traffic study, develop a directed-traffic plan that eliminates midblock crossings on Sixtieth (staff and the committee cited right-in/right-out access on Sixtieth with buses using Hayes or other routed turns), and have engineering and city counsel review the study and plan. Engineering clarified it had no objection to the planned bus staging on the proposed site but emphasized safe pedestrian circulation within the lot.
The amended conditional-use permit was approved by voice vote. The committee included conditions that engineering review and sign off on the traffic-mitigation measures before permits and occupancy are finalized.
