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Traffic commission approves several downtown parking and sight‑distance changes
Summary
The commission approved removing three parking stalls on Barton at Parkfield, moving parking to the south side of East Avenue/Water Street, and removing one spot at 7th and Hickory after consultants concluded those changes would restore sight distance and improve safety; staff will mark and enforce the new restrictions.
The West Bend City Traffic Safety Commission approved several on‑street parking changes intended to restore sight distance and reduce crash risk in the downtown area.
At Barton Avenue and Parkfield Drive, consultant Kevin Wayner recommended removing the three parking stalls immediately north of the intersection after an AASHTO‑based sight‑distance study showed the first three stalls sufficiently block the required 335 feet of sight distance for certain approach positions. Resident Linda Bledsoe of 2010 Barton Avenue described repeated close calls. “That intersection is extremely dangerous,” Bledsoe said, asking whether delivery vehicles could still briefly stop; commissioners said they would preserve one stall to allow short deliveries.
On East Avenue (the Water Street block), Wayner offered three alternatives to address posted‑speed sight‑distance deficiencies: limit parking for 50 feet at intersections (alternative 1), remove all north‑side parking (alternative 2), or relocate parking to the south side (alternative 3). Brooke Gehring, property manager at the Emory (239 East Water Street), said alternative 3 would benefit residents who lack on‑site parking and warned that removing parking could increase travel speeds. After discussion the commission approved alternative 3 (move parking to the south side) by voice vote; staff noted that moving parking to one side will make that side subject to year‑round parking rather than the city’s winter alternation schedule.
For 7th Avenue at Hickory, the consultant found a parked vehicle at the posted limit reduced available sight distance to about 300 feet; the commission approved removing one additional parking space (roughly 25 feet) to restore sight distance.
What the commission approved: motions were made and passed to (a) block off three stalls north of Barton at Parkfield while leaving one delivery spot, (b) relocate parking to the south side of East Avenue/Water Street (alternative 3), and (c) remove one spot at 7th and Hickory. The commission directed staff to work with engineering to mark the restricted zones and to continue education and enforcement.
Why it matters: On‑street parking is a valuable downtown resource, and commissioners repeatedly balanced resident and tenant needs with sight‑distance and safety concerns; several speakers said modest changes were acceptable if one or more stalls were preserved for deliveries and operations.
What’s next: Public Works said it can absorb striping costs for the Barton/Parkfield change and will coordinate exact distances for blocked stalls; enforcement and education will follow the marking.
