Town of Mansfield

Traffic Authority

Minutes of the Meeting – April 9, 2009

Present:  Hart, Hultgren, Jackman, Meitzler, Padick, Vincente (Guest)

Town speed limits – Hultgren reported that he had updated the spreadsheet of Town speed limits.  Members suggested a PDF copy be placed in “common work” on the server and the official copy go to the Manager’s office.  Engineering will keep a working copy as well.

Advance green request (32/275) – no response … still with DOT.

Pedestrian awareness campaign – Hultgren reported on a meeting he had with the UConn pedestrian safety committee chaired by Captain Averna of the UConn PD.  He reported that a new study of landscaping and signs was in progress by the Sasaki group and the pedestrian committee wasn’t sure of its role in pedestrian signage and safety.  There was no report on the marketing study for pedestrian awareness that had been discussed at the previous (UConn committee) meeting.  Hultgren will contact George Kraus in Facilities to find out the status of both studies.

Centerline Road striping – no discussion (there are currently no Town Aid funds available for centerline striping).

WRTD bus stop near Clover Mill Road – this stop has been discontinued by WRTD for safety reasons.  Additional sites along Route 195 in this area are under review.

Traffic and parking concerns, Anton at Baxter – A discussion was held and preliminary recommendations were made which will be acted on at the May meeting.  These include:  1)  Ask the police to ticket cars parked in the intersection.  2)  Replace the stop sign that is supposed to be on Anton Road.  3)  Put a keep right sign on the tree in the middle of the intersection.  4)  Ask to have the mailboxes that are within the intersection to be moved.  Discussion of additional stop signs was held, but no conclusions reached at this time.  Hultgren will notify Reinhardt of the preliminary findings prior to the May meeting.

Request to move the Community Center handicapped parking spots – the matter was discussed and members did not feel that moving these spaces to the west side of the island would be better for safety.  The request was denied.

Paid parking spaces in the Community Center gravel lot – Vincente explained how these spaces had been determined for exclusive (student) use.  Members of the Authority asked him to remove these designated spots at the end of this school year.  The DPW will erect the previously ordered MCC/TH exclusive signs in the CC/Town Hall lot this summer.

Mansfield Road intersection with 195 (UConn plans) – Plans showing the proposed changes to the intersection prepared by BL were reviewed and no problems or concerns noted.

Temporary road closures during Spring weekend – Members voted to give the Resident State Trooper’s office the authority to close off roads near the UConn campus during the 2009 Spring weekend as necessary to protect public safety.

Respectfully submitted,

Lon Hultgren
Director of Public Works