Sean C. Morgan
The City Council last week approved new stop signs at four different locations on cross streets along 46th Avenue.
“While 46th Avenue and the adjoining cross streets are local residential small streets, there have been instances where drivers have not yielded to intersection basic rule procedures, which have caused some near misses,” Senior Engineering Technician Joe Graybill told council members. The Sweet Home Police Department and Traffic Safety Committee recommended placement of the stop signs.
The stop signs will be at 46th Avenue and eastbound Live Oak Street, eastbound Airport Lane, westbound Airport Lane and eastbound Mahogany Lane.
Funding for the signs is included in the city’s 2014-15 operating budget.
Present at the meeting were councilors Marybeth Angulo, Craig Fentiman, Bruce Hobbs, Greg Mahler, Dave Trask and Mayor Jim Gourley. Scott McKee Jr. was absent.
In other business, the council:
– Agreed to write a letter supporting the Santiam Calapooia Scenic Bikeway proposal presented by Ken Bronson (see related report on page 14).
– Recommended to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission approval of a liquor license for the new owners of the Downtown Lounge, Chad Schuster and Jessica Galvin.
– Approved the closure of 12th Avenue in front of City Hall from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Sept. 27. The Sweet Home Satellite Walk for the Cause will start there, using the street directly in front of the building before the walk.
A local committee partnered with the Soropimists of Albany several years ago to offer a satellite walk event to help raise awareness about breast cancer in Sweet Home and to allow residents to stay in town to support the cause.
The committee is trying to increase participation and offering it the week before the Albany Walk for the Cause, which is held the same day as the city’s Harvest Festival, said Wendy Younger, event organizer. Doing it on a different date allows a later start time and city employees, who work during the festival, to participate. It also may help more people get involved.
– Agreed to enter a fund exchange agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation.
Sweet Home will trade $102,743 in federal transportation money to ODOT for $96,578.42 in state transportation money.
Exchange agreements like this allow cities to fund street projects without meeting federal requirements, which usually add significant time and cost to local projects, said Public Works Director Mike Adams.