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Consideration of request from Engineering Division to prohibit parking on the west side of Wauwatosa Avenue from Wright Street to a point 150-feet north thereof and on the east side of Wauwatosa Avenue from Wright Street to a point 150-feet north thereof
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Submitted by:
Michael May, PE, PTOE, RSP1
Department:
DPW - Engineering
A. Issue
Bus stop relocation is necessary to accommodate a safer pedestrian crossing of Wauwatosa Avenue and Wright Street.
B. Background/Options
Wauwatosa Avenue is a connecting highway also designated as State Trunk Highway 181. The street is approximately 50-feet wide with one through lane, bicycle lane, and parking lane in each direction at Wright Street. The crossing of Wauwatosa Avenue at Wright Street is on the City’s Safe Routes to School.
The City received complaints about the right-hand slide that occurs on Wauwatosa Avenue at this intersection. Staff has observed that the right-hand slide occurs frequently during the morning and afternoon hours when students are crossing the intersection. This is a safety threat. In review of crashes at the intersection, an adult pedestrian in the crosswalk was struck by a southbound motorist and severely injured in February 2024.
Wauwatosa Avenue is tentatively planned to be reconstructed in 2030/2031 as part of a WisDOT project. While it is anticipated that the project will help address the issues of the right-hand slide along Wauwatosa Avenue, staff is interested in an interim modification that would shorten the crosswalk through curb extensions, a realignment of the crosswalk to be more perpendicular to traffic, and greatly minimize the opportunity for the right-hand slide. WisDOT is accepting of the concept. However, at this time, funding is not available to the City to fully complete this traffic calming measure.
Staff is proposing to move the bus stops on Wauwatosa Avenue at Wright Street and to use barrels as a stop-gap measure to discourage the right-hand slide. Funding of the bus stop relocation (new pad and signs) will come from CIP #9008: Bus Stop Improvements funds. This relocation would not preclude curb extensions and crosswalk improvements if funds for traffic calming become available at a later date. The bus stop relocation will require no parking within 150-feet of the intersection to accommodate access to the bus stop and allow the placement of barrels.
C. Strategic Plan (Area of Focus)
Priority 2: Public Safety, Goal 2. Proactively address pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular safety.
Priority 3: Infrastructure, Goal 2. Enhance the City’s infrastructure supports public health through multi-modal and recreation opportunities
D. Fiscal Impact
Funding of the bus stop relocation (new pad and signs) will come from CIP #9008: Bus Stop Improvements funds. The total cost estimate for the bus stop relocation is approximately $2,750.
E. Recommendation
Direct staff to prepare an ordinance to prohibit parking on the west side of Wauwatosa Avenue from Wright Street to a point 150-feet north thereof and on the east side of Wauwatosa Avenue from Wright Street to a point 150-feet north thereof.
Approximate Location of Proposed Parking Prohibitions
Wauwatosa Avenue, North of Wright Street
