WAUPACA COUNTY TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION
April 18, 2013
The meeting was called to order at 12:03 p.m. by Patrol Captain Todd Rasmussen. The meeting location was King’s Table, Waupaca, Wisconsin.
Members Present: Patrol Captain Todd Rasmussen, Sheriff Brad Hardel, State DOT Representative Tony Kemnitz, County Board Chair Dick Koeppen, Medical Representative Dr. Jerry Salan, Coroner Barry Tomaras, District Attorney John Snider, Emergency Management Director Andrew Carlin, Driver’s Education Representative Larry Schlueter, Area DOT Program Manager Thomas Knoop, State Patrol Representative Sergeant Carrie Johnson, State Patrol Representative Kendi Linjer, Mukwa Town Supervisor Lee Shaw, and Population Representative Bob Flease.
Patrol Captain Rasmussen read the open meeting statement.
Motion by Tom Knoop, seconded by John Snider to approve the minutes of the previous meeting. Motion carried without a negative vote.
Motion by Tom Knoop, seconded by Sheriff Hardel to approve the agenda. Motion carried without a negative vote.
Public Input - None
Patrol Captain Rasmussen - See attached Traffic Report. There were three fatalities during the first quarter of 2013. State Patrol wrote the two reports involving the fatalities.
Dr. Salan – Nothing
Barry Tomaras – Noted that he had a discrepancy in the number of fatals for 2012. Vickie will give him a list that the Sheriff’s Office compiles.
State Patrol – Nothing
Tony Kemnitz – Provided follow-up information from the last meeting. Update on Hwy 54/QQ intersection project. The County commissioner has been trying to get this moved up in the letting schedule. 60% plans are done. DOT is putting final together at this time. The intersection design will reconfigure the islands and re-timing the stop light. The signal phasing for the left turn from westbound STH 54 to King/ CTY QQ (southbound) will be revised. A local officials meeting is planned in either May or June. Local officials/businesses will be invited.
Dean had asked about the status of the freeway conversion. There is a consultant doing a study of the whole corridor through Waupaca and into Portage County. There will be an official roll-out of the proposed layout for the freeway, showing the removal of the at-grade intersections and possible interchange locations, in June of 2013. Tony will advise us of the date and time once it has been announced.
10/Vaughan Road – Tony and his manager drove the location. The past crashes have been fog related in the middle of the curve and due to the narrow medium. As the fog factor cannot be removed, Tony and his manager discussed the possibility of submitting a safety project. There may be a possibility of putting an acceleration lane for WB USH 10 vehicles in the median or close the median as they turn left from Vaughn Road. This would be a smaller project, which typically qualifies for safety money. Tony will work with the consultant that is doing freeway conversion study, to see what their recommendations are and develop a possible HSIP application to secure funding to construct a median acceleration lane or other safety improvement. Hopefully the study will be done by this summer and will provide some answers to the traffic safety commission’s ongoing concerns over this issue.
USH 10 (Erickson Road to WIS 22 North) Cable medium request – handout. 2007 -2011 crash details included. There was a fatality in 2007. A crash rate calculation was done and compared to the state-wide average and USH 10 is slightly above the state-wide average. The DOT’s analysis will hone in on the run-off road crashes, specifically going to the left. Of the 121 crashes, 104 were off road crashes. Table 2 is a little more detail on the crashes. The information on tables 3, 4 and 5 is needed to determine if the cable median barrier is needed. A big issue is that the crashes are occurring in December, January and February. Should there be more plowing? Should the roads be salted more? The study will develop supporting data to allow DOT to apply for safety money via the HSIP program. Kendi asked about the cable median coming in, if there were any plans between CTY A and the Churchill Street exit, if there was a chance to get an emergency turn-around? She said there is a long stretch from CTY A until there is a turn-around. Sheriff Hardel said the closest one would be by the underpass. He said going toward Hwy 54, there is an opening by the wall, which is narrow, but it is not plowed in the winter. Kendi said the first place to turn around is by Anderson Road, west of Waupaca. A turnaround between CTY A and Anderson Road would be helpful.
Dean had asked Tony to follow-up with a request from St. Paul’s Church in Weyauwega for temporary parking on Hwy 110. This request was granted on a temporary basis until the end of construction of their school building project.
Town of Dayton Chairman Chris Klein has been sending Tony a lot of information regarding speed zones. In the past, Tony knew Ron Becker would go out and look at town roads. That is no longer DOT current policy. There are new guidelines that were put out in 2009 and DOT has drafted letters to share with townships and county officials if there are questions regarding speed limits and what is the correct posting on their local roads. The DOT would only get involved in the approval of a speed limit on a town or county road if there was a study done by a professional engineer indicating that the speed limits should be posted at something other than the statutory fixed limit definition. Townships and counties do have the authority to lower a 55 speed limit to 45 mph.
A signing request was brought up by Dean at the last meeting to have DOT reconsider allowing the installation of no cellular phone use signage on USH 10. This request was denied earlier by DOT in 2010. The policy regarding signage for the use of cell phones has not changed. Tony said the only thing he could think of to do is to possibly get a billboard and he has contact information if anyone wants it.
Dean had asked about the intersection of Hwy 45/Church Road. DOT is currently collecting crash data on this location as part of a safety study.
This spring the DOT will be looking at all the shoulders on the roads and working with the county for shoulder gravel needs.
Andy Carlin – nothing
Tom Knoop - See attached. Fatalities for 2012 year totaled 601. Total thus far (as of 04/18/13) is 117. Waupaca County currently has 3 for the year. Texting while driving convictions for 2011 were 219 and 2012 was 347. There were almost 304,000 registered motorcycles in 2011 and 54,000 in the year 1970. The mandatory helmet law was repealed in March 1978. This impact went from 68 motorcycle fatalities in 1977 to 112 in 1978. Sheriff Hardel felt the numbers were a little bit deceiving because if you look at the fatal crashes right before the repeal of the motorcycle helmet, there were a whole lot less registered motorcycles. Weather continues to play a major role in motorcycle fatalities.
Wisconsin legislative updates: AB43 – ATV age limits; AB61 – Underage drinking; AB62 – Intoxicants; AB65 – proof of insurance; AB66 – Amphibious vehicle; AB67 – OWI court appearance; AB68 – OWI penalty (1st/2nd); AB69 – OWI bodily harm: AB70 – OWI Death; AB72 – OWI vehicle seizure.
Laws of the month. April is Wisconsin’s ‘Absolute Sobriety Law’ means “Not a drop of alcohol for drivers under age 21”. May is U-turns on freeway crossovers are dangerous and illegal. June is Tailgating increases risks of crashes and road rage.
Dick Koeppen had a question about texting arrests for Tom. He asked how you see people texting? State Patrol Officer Kendi said you basically have to stop them for something else and then ask them what they were doing.
Tom said there was just a ruling that warrantless blood draws are going to be a thing of the past. Penalty for refusal is possibly going to be increased.
Lee Shaw - nothing
Bob Flease – Church Road/Hwy 45. This was addressed.
Larry Schlueter - nothing
Dick Koeppen – Dean Steingraber was on the radio yesterday and talked for an hour about the safety issues regarding construction coming up and to be sure to slow down in construction areas. Dean stressed not to use cell phones while driving in Waupaca County. Dean had said that the winter maintenance budget is gone for the year.
Dick said Waupaca County is in great shape financially. They are above 25% of operating revenues in our fund balance, which is the standard counties need to be at to be considered in good financial shape. Waupaca County was at 14% four years ago. This is when the county went to a management team system which has worked very well together.
Brad Hardel – Hwy 10/Vaughan Road issue, which has been addressed. Wants to get together with State Patrol regarding some drug interdictions and get some areas that are busy during certain times of the summer.
John Snider – Feels the recent ruling by the State Supreme court is going to be real trouble regarding the warrants needed for blood draws.
State Patrol Sgt. Carrie Johnson – There will be an air speed enforcement on Hwy 45 in Marion on May 31, from 2-6 p.m. and they welcome county squads. Sheriff Hardel said we could have 3 squads and possibly a K-9 available.
Captain Rasmussen – Location of future meetings. Should we try King’s Table again? Somewhere else? Possibly move around the county? Tom said sometimes it’s nice to stay in one place and build a relationship with the business. Tom felt the layout of King’s Table was a little better than Hotel Fremont. Sheriff Hardel and Captain Rasmussen will decide a location. The next quarterly will be held on Thursday, July 18, 2013 – location to be determined.
Motion by Dick Koeppen to adjourn, seconded by John Snider. Motion carried.
Vickie Thoe, Secretary