Muskego approves four-way stop on Haven Drive after resident raises school-bus safety concern

The Muskego City Common Council voted Nov. 19 to install a four-way stop at the intersection of Haven Drive and Joel after a resident urged the council to act to protect children waiting for the school bus.

Resident Robert Weir told the council he has lived in the neighborhood 28 years and described morning traffic near the bus stop, saying, “I think it's just really needed a 4 way stop on them on that long road.” His remarks prompted the council to pull the item from the consent agenda for separate discussion and a full council vote.

City staff said they had no engineering objection to the stop and that the presence of a school-bus stop made the request understandable. An unnamed staff member told the council, “Basically, we are okay with it one way or another,” and noted that enforcement patterns can change driver behavior. The council also heard that when a similar sign was installed at Champions Village police enforcement later led to tickets for drivers who did not adjust to the new control.

Police Chief Westfall, who said he had participated in the public safety meeting on the matter, told the council he did not have crash data showing the intersection was a significant crash location and left the policy decision to the council: “I don't really have an opinion on this ... I don't have the crash data to support that it's a significant intersection as far as crashes are concerned.”

Several alderpersons expressed concern that approving stop signs in one neighborhood can spur similar requests elsewhere and that too many signs can reduce compliance; others said the request was narrowly focused on a single neighborhood where children board the school bus. After discussion, the council voted in favor of the resolution establishing the stop signs. The transcript records multiple "ayes" and at least one "no"; the roll-call tally is not specified in the meeting record.

The vote concluded a consent-agenda cycle in which the council approved other items—such as final plat approval for Twin Silo Subdivision, an award for the Boxhorn dredging project and support for state and local cyber-security grant funding—while holding Resolution 066-2024 for separate consideration. The chair also reported a personnel update: a new facilities employee is scheduled to start Dec. 9.

Council members noted they have one meeting remaining this year (likely Dec. 10) to finalize any outstanding business; the council then adjourned at 6:34 p.m.

Outcome: Resolution 066-2024 (establishing traffic regulation stop signs on Haven Drive) approved; transcript does not record a full roll-call tally.