Mayville Public Works Committee brings request for a four-way stop sign near school

The City of Mayville held several meetings on Monday, Aug. 24, including the Public Safety Committee, Public Works Committee and a Special Common Council meeting. Departments gave their monthly reports at both Public Safety and Public Works meetings, and the only topic of discussion during the Special Common Council Meetings was discussed during closed session.

During the Public Safety Committee’s citizen comments, resident Tyler Clark read a letter written by the principal of St. John’s Lutheran School, Doug Mageski, who could not attend that night’s meeting due to prior obligations. The letter written by Mageski asks the City to consider putting a four-way stop sign near the school at the intersection of Bridge St. and Walnut St.

There is a huge overall safety concern at the intersection of Bridge St. and Walnut St. Mageski wrote, “During the recent construction of Muzzy St., temporary stop signs were installed at this intersection. While these signs were intended to accommodate temporary changes in traffic patterns, their presence provided an opportunity to observe how a controlled intersection could improve safety and traffic flow in this area.”

Mageski also wrote about several concerns the intersection had, considering its close proximity to both St. John’s Lutheran School and St. John’s Lutheran Church. The first mentioned concern was speed, since vehicles coming from the west on Bridge St. are coming downhill, which often leads to an increased approaching speed. This is a big concern considering drivers are approaching not only a school area, but an area that has moderate vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The letter also mentioned the fact vehicles are regularly parked along Bridge St. near the school. When leaving their spots, these cars enter onto a busy, downhill street. The hopes that a four-way stop not only helps with the speed issue, but also helps create a more predictable traffic flow.

Another concern brought up in Mageski’s letter is connected to school arrival and dismissal. During the school year, both Bridge and Walnut streets are very busy during morning drop offs and afternoon pickups with both parents and buses transporting students to and from the school. Having the four-way stop sign would create a safer and more efficient flow of traffic in the area.

Clark also added his own comment about wanting the four-way stop, stating, “That hill is kind of a blind point as you’re going uphill…when you’re coming up a hill like that, you can’t see. Drive a truck, even higher up… It’s a blind intersection when you’re going uphill. Downhill, people come down and can’t see it.”

The board agreed later on to recommend the four-way stop to the common council for a future meeting. The next common council meeting will be on Sept. 14 at 6 p.m.