Decorah council reviews concepts to remake Hively Street–College Drive intersection, greenlights camera study and pilot tests

Decorah City Council members and city staff discussed three concept sketches for the Hively Street–College Drive intersection, directed traffic engineers to run a 24-hour automated camera study and signaled support for staged pilot tests of signal and control changes to assess pedestrian safety and vehicle flow.

The council heard from city staff that the sketches are conceptual only and intended to inform the Hively Street reconstruction. Staff said traffic volumes at the intersection sit near but not clearly above the threshold that would “warrant” a permanent traffic signal, and WHKS (the traffic engineering firm) will install a camera to collect a 24-hour automated traffic study showing turning movements, pedestrian crossings and volumes. The council asked staff to ensure the study is done on a typical school day.

Council members discussed a range of possible changes: removing the left-turn lane (staff clarified the change would remove a dedicated left-turn lane but not make left turns illegal), adding a raised island that would channel movements, creating a slip lane for right turns, or installing a rectangular rapid-flashing beacon (RRFB) or upgrading to modern camera-equipped traffic-signal controllers that can detect pedestrians. Several council members supported pilot testing by “bagging” (covering) the traffic signals for a period to measure how traffic re-routes and whether stop-sign control improves flow and pedestrian safety.

Council members raised concerns tied to larger vehicles: snow plows, school buses and semi-trailers use the corner and require adequate turning radius. Staff noted WHKS will run truck-turning templates and evaluate whether a raised island or other physical changes would impede large-vehicle movements. Snow removal and emergency-vehicle operability were cited as particular constraints to curb or bump-out options.

Pedestrian safety and future use were a recurring focus. Staff said the Hively project includes a 10-foot multiuse trail on the north side of Hively Street, and councilmembers emphasized designing for the pedestrians and cyclists the corridor aims to attract rather than only for current users. Options discussed to shorten pedestrian crossing distance included RRFBs, signal timing that detects pedestrians, or a push-button pedestrian activation if signals are retained.

Staff also told the council that several related infrastructure needs exist at the site: the bridge approach slabs and expansion joints require repair, the north-end concrete traffic barrier needs work, and the traffic-signal controller at the south end is the oldest in town and needs replacement (staff said contingency plans exist if it fails before the project is completed). Those repairs affect the project timeline and what can be done during the Hively Street reconstruction.

Following discussion, the council asked staff to coordinate with WHKS on a game plan for the camera counts and the timing of any bagging pilot; staff said WHKS would prefer to see baseline camera footage before any signal bagging. Councilmembers requested an educational/press plan before any pilot so drivers know what to expect. Staff said final concepts will likely combine elements from multiple sketches and that further professionally drawn WHKS plans will follow the data review.