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Council discusses traffic-calming on Billard Avenue near Boys and Girls Club; agrees to check signage and order equipment
Summary
Red Lodge council members and staff reviewed a year-long safe-zone effort for Billard Avenue near the Boys and Girls Club and agreed to inventory storage and, if needed, purchase 15-mph solar signs, flashing stop signs, a mobile speed device and speed bumps.
At the April 28 meeting of the Red Lodge City Council Public Health & Safety committee, council members pressed for site-specific traffic-calming measures on Billard Avenue near the Boys and Girls Club and asked public works to inventory existing signs and equipment in storage.
The council liaison said the group has been discussing the safe-zone plan for a year and three months and that the Boys and Girls Club supports improvements: "They're all in. We just gotta come up with a plan," the liaison said. Proposals included permanent railings on the west side of the street, colorful treatments to mark the block as a children’s area, flashing 15-mph signs, and reflective or flashing stop signage.
Police and staff supported a targeted approach. The police chief noted the city’s mobile speed trailer is an option but cautioned it is older technology; he added that a local donor (Tom Lyman) provided large batteries to extend trailer operation. "The battery life is several days," the chief said, and staff described rotating the trailer based on observed speed issues.
Council members raised practical concerns: placing heavy corner signs where vehicles park can narrow the roadway and create maneuvering hazards for delivery trucks and service vehicles. Staff recommended checking existing inventory before buying new equipment. One council member proposed a motion to order durable "child playing" signs, 15-mph solar signs, temporary mobile speed devices and speed bumps; the meeting record shows the council asked public works (Mike) to check storage and to purchase items if they were not available.
Timing: officials said seasonal deployment is typically in mid-May once snow risk subsides. Public works and police agreed to coordinate placement to avoid obstructing turning radii for trucks and to minimize sign damage near crosswalks.
Next steps: public works will inventory stored signs and report back; the council indicated it will authorize purchases if inventory is insufficient, and requested a brief public summary from the police chief early in a future meeting so residents understand the plan and expected questions.
