Concerns about traffic safety were among the top discussions during the Aug. 27 City Council meeting.
City Hall was filled with residents, some who went to complain about new stop signs at 47th Avenue and Long Street, and others who went to urge support for traffic mitigation on 1st Avenue.
1st Avenue
Jeff Parker and John Jackson spoke in favor of modifications to 1st Avenue that would be intended to reduce traffic.
Parker said there’s been a long-standing problem with traffic on that street, specifically noting commercial trucks that pass through. He mentioned that Google likely leads drivers through 1st Avenue as the shortest route between Highway 20 and Highway 228. Parker added that he offered to pay for speed humps and signage on the street 15 years ago, but was refused.
Jackson told the council that on the first day of moving into his new home on 1st Avenue five years ago, he realized it was a mistake because of the traffic.
“Traffic has gone from bad to ridiculous now,” Jackson said. “It can be a challenge just to get out of your driveway without even getting hit. People’s cars are getting hit on the sides of the road.”
He said he is in favor of shutting off thru-traffic on a temporary basis (to see how that affects the street).
Addressing potential modification options for 1st Avenue was on the council’s agenda. Police Chief and Interim City Manager Jason Ogden provided traffic data to help inform the council’s decision.
During a one-week period in April, a traffic count revealed between 1,477 and 1,984 vehicles passing through per day, with about 80 vehicles in a one-hour period during peak times. Ogden also provided a report of seven vehicular accidents in the past two and a half years.
The council was provided four potential options to consider, including implementing speed tables, restricting southbound access from Highway 20 through 1st Avenue, initiate a six-month trial period of closing 1st Avenue at Highway 20 (referred hereafter as “closure”), or make no changes.
Councilors asked technical questions and provided comments about personal experience on the road, and residents in the audience called out their concerns and frustrations. Councilor Greg Mahler said he would support speed tables, but not the north end closure without a traffic study. He also said ODOT has concerns about how the change would increase traffic back-ups where Long Street merges with Highway 228.
Responding in regards to comments from the audience and council about how the decision centers around the safety of children versus personal convenience, Councilor Dylan Richards said that, while he’s “not for killing children,” he’s “opposed to any means or options that are up here to close it down or anything like that because I don’t like getting phone calls until 11 at night about something like this, and that seems to be happening lately.”
Councilor Angelita Sanchez said she would like a traffic impact study completed before the city “puts the cart before the horse.” She added that she supports speed tables or humps, but she doesn’t support closure because it’s a street owned by a community that uses the road. Councilor Sanchez also noted potential impacts to other roads if 1st Avenue were closed.
Councilor Lisa Gourley made a motion to implement a six-month closure to be reviewed four months in, seconded by Mayor Susan Coleman. The motion failed, 2-5. Councilor Sanchez then motioned to install temporary speed tables to “see how that works,” seconded by Councilor Richards. The motion passed, 5-2.
“I would just like to express my concern regarding putting people’s convenience over other people’s safety,” Mayor Coleman said before the vote.
Staff was directed to contact Google and ODOT Motor Carrier in an effort to prevent commercial vehicles from using 1st Avenue as a pass-through.
47th and Long
Brandy Frick, Chelsea Augsburger and Rob Lambert told the council that the new stop signs in their neighborhood at 47th and Long have caused more problems than they were intended to solve.
Frick cited more congestion, more noise, neighbors forced to drive through their own yards for easier in/out access, and people running the stop signs as some of her concerns.
“We went from a neighborhood with really very minimal issues to one filled with more issues than we can imagine,” she said. “…Our neighborhood is here telling you the stop signs placed at 47th and Long are creating an unsafe environment.”
Frick urged the council to remedy the situation or else they would go to news media, state representatives and ODOT.
“We should not have to go to those extremes, but we will because the neighborhood we all loved has been taken away from us and we will not stop until we get it back,” she said.
Augsburger told the council the stop signs are an illogical decision at the location due to the narrow, seldom-traveled street, and later added that former City Manager Kelcey Young had stated the stop signs were the cheapest way to curb speeding.
“Random, illogically-placed signs are confusing,” she said. “Some drivers run it, others abruptly stop last-minute because they’re not expecting a stop sign in the middle of Long Street; both could potentially cause accidents.”
Augsburger requested any information that led the city and engineers to select that location for stop signs. She also noted that the councilors had received a letter with “numerous” area residents opposing the signs, and Augsburger asked why they were not given consideration.
Lambert told the council that while there were occasional speeders through the area, there are more now that the signs are placed, noting he can’t understand why that is. He added there is more noise on the street and he feels unsafe pulling out of his driveway.
During the Aug. 14 Public & Traffic Safety Committee meeting, Councilor Josh Thorstad told the committee that he was informed that Public Works employees were yelled at and had stuff thrown at them when they initially attempted to install the stop signs.
The council agreed to put the matter up for discussion at the next meeting.
Citizen Honored
Ogden recognized Gavin Doner for “making Sweet Home a better place for everyone.”
Ogden explained that officers regularly patrol the parks and one of them had observed Doner picking up trash at Sankey Park.
“He was so impressed with your hard work without even being asked to do anything,” Ogden told Doner. He continued as he read from a statement.
“Your actions not only reflect a deep care for our public spaces, but also serve as a powerful example of community spirit and civic responsibility.”
Ogden gave Doner challenge coins from the City of Sweet Home and the Sweet Home Police Department.
In other business:
- Addressing an upcoming item on the agenda regarding the appointment of Blair Larsen as the city attorney, resident Dawn Miller told the council she does not approve of the appointment because he is not a licensed attorney. During discussion on the matter, Ogden reported there were four applicants for the position and Larsen – who’s compensation package was “very, very, very reasonable” – was selected to move forward in the process pending his admittance to the Oregon State Bar. Larsen recently took the bar exam; results are expected in September. Councilor Gourley motioned to table the decision until an executive session could be held to discuss an employment agreement, which had not taken place among councilors; Councilor Dave Trask seconded and it was passed 6-1.
- Resident Dave Holley spoke in favor of transitional family housing, but cautioned the council about maintenance problems and costs that are likely to arise.
- Ogden reported the empty room in City Hall has been cleared out to make way for incoming CSC.
- Ogden told council that mold has been found at the former City Hall where Ridgeway Health has moved to. The mold has since been remediated.
- Mayor Coleman informed the council that the city received a $6,000 grant from the Siletz Tribe for a mural. Through submissions from artists, the Arts and Culture Committee selected two artists to complete murals in the city. Another grant has also been received for the other mural.
- Councilor Gourley announced that welding students at the high school will be creating two-by-two metal fish designs to be placed in the median strips along Main Street.
- Councilor Sanchez asked about options for how the city can continue productive communication with the community now that the ability to comment on its Facebook page has been removed. Ogden said the city shut off post comments because it was taking up too much staff time to manage it, it presents the possibility of legal liability, and comments were often “nasty and derogatory.” Councilor Sanchez, however, pointed out that blocking comments will affect the algorithm and lead the city’s posts to not being seen. Staff will look at costs to communicate through utility bills.