Public hearing on no-parking along 90 Fourth Avenue deferred after resident concerns

The Kenosha Public Safety and Welfare Committee opened a public hearing July 28 on an aldermanic request to prohibit parking on the west side of 90 Fourth Avenue between Seventieth Street and 20 First Street, and then voted to defer the request for two weeks after residents and staff raised concerns.

A resident who identified her address as 190 Fourth Avenue told the committee the street has frequent bus blockages and asked whether the proposed change would worsen winter-parking impacts and affect routine parking habits. She said she received the notice late—on the Friday before a Monday meeting—and suggested the timing limited public turnout.

City staff and the traffic engineer explained the location is about 28 feet wide at the curve, narrower than preferred, and is part of a transit route used by larger buses. Staff described the recommendation as targeted to the observed problem at the curve and noted similar narrow roadways exist elsewhere in the city. The traffic discussion noted potential trade-offs: concentrating no-parking on one side may move parking density to the opposite side, increase driveway snow-clearing burdens for some homeowners and affect bus operations at stop points.

Jordan Best, a resident who gave his address as 70194, said buses often must brake hard and that clearing one side of parking could provide a safer lane for buses. Other committee members questioned whether the restriction should extend along the entire bus route rather than only the short curved segment.

Following discussion, an alderman moved and the committee seconded a motion to defer the public hearing for two weeks and ask staff, including the traffic engineer, to review the proposal. The motion passed by voice vote.