4-Way STOP Approved on Stone Street in Falls City
04/08/2014

 (KLZA) -- The Falls City Council spent time discussing an age-old issue in downtown Falls City once again Monday evening.

Three agenda items were condensed into one discussion Monday night.  The corner of 19th and Stone Street and parking in the 1800 block of Stone went hand-in-hand.  Since Stone Street was reverted back to two-way traffic the corner of 19th and Stone has been a difficult place for drivers going east and west to see if another vehicle was traveling Stone. Second Ward representative Angie Nolte asked the intersection to be discussed. 

Nolte said she has visited with businesses in the area about what she described as a dangerous intersection.  She said suggestions included a 4-way STOP and allowing only compact cars in the end parking stalls.

Fourth Ward Councilman Jim Wisdom suggested going back to one-way traffic on Stone Street.

City Attorney Mike Dunn who was in attendance and offered up a little if ever used option, noting there is an ordinance on the books that vehicles 19 feet or longer are not allowed to angle park.  Dunn said he does not believe that ordinance has ever been enforce. 

Alan Romine who lives in the 1900 block of Stone Street said he felt a combination of some of the suggestions might work, suggesting a 4-way STOP and changing the angle of the parking stalls.  

City Administrator Gary Jorn agreed and was not in favor of regulating vehicle size. He said enforcement of a compact size vehicle ordinance would be a major headache for law enforcement. 

Eric Froeschl, who runs the Would Eye Bar in the 1800 block of Stone Street suggested eliminating a parking stall on the west side of the street and widening the remaining stalls to make it easier for pickups to park and noted he did not want to lose more than one parking space in the area.

Following the lengthy discussion the Council approved a 4-way Stop at the intersection of 19th and Stone, changing the angle of the parking stalls on the west side of the street and eliminating one stall on the west side of the 1800 block of Stone. 

Further discussion with Falls City Auto Supply will take place before action is taken on a request by Froeschl to limit the time allowed to park in  two stalls in front of the business to one hour.

The Council also voted to eliminate the southern-most parking stall on the southeast corner of the Richardson County Courthouse to make it easier to see oncoming traffic on Harlan Street now that the traffic signal has been removed. 

 


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