Members of the Fulton Traffic Commission decided Tuesday to recommend the city place caution signs near the new fire station under construction on Tennyson Road.
The signs would warn motorists and pedestrians that emergency vehicle fire trucks will be entering the street at the fire station. Kyle Bruemmer, assistant city engineer, said some type of emergency vehicle exit signs should be placed near the fire station because it is located along a section of the street that has no other buildings at this time and drivers might not be aware that emergency vehicles will enter the street at the new fire station.
Fulton Councilman Steve Moore, a member of the commission, recommended that the commission make the recommendation to the city council and members of the commission agreed.
The commission also discussed traffic congestion that occurs on 7th Street between Jefferson Street and Westminster Avenue when events are held at Westminster College. Cars park along the narrow street. Moore said many people were concerned about large vehicles, such as school buses and delivery vehicles traveling along the street when it is congested.
"We either have to widen that street or cut down on traffic. That's an accident waiting to happen," Moore said.
Maj. Roger Rice said the school bus traffic along the street is using the street to get to McIntire Elementary School. Rice said he would check with the school's transportation director to learn if it is necessary for school buses to use the street. Rice said buses are not the only problem on the street and large delivery vehicles also are a problem.
Moore said some members of the City Council want to remove the speed bumps along 7th Street in the Westminster College campus area. Moore said he favors removing them because they were installed only for a construction project.
"People call and complain that the bumps have damaged their car's wheel alignments," Moore said.
Rice said there is substantial foot traffic of students along and across the street and it is a safety issue. "Westminster may have to do what Stephens College did in Columbia. They built a bridge over the street for foot traffic to use," Rice said.
Moore said two members of the council believe there is not enough lighting along that street. "The students don't use the crosswalk. If they are wearing dark clothing it is difficult for people driving through that area at night to see the students. That was one of the topics discussed at the council's last work session," Moore said.
Discussion of a proposal to contract with a St. Louis firm for automated speed enforcement equipment was tabled until the next meeting because Police Chief Steve Myers was unable to attend the meeting.
The portable automated equipment includes a camera mounted on a pickup truck. It measures the speed of vehicles using time and distance technology and takes a photograph of speeding vehicles.
Speeding tickets based on the photographs are mailed to violators.
The firm the city would deal with is B&W Sensors LLC of St. Louis.
Bruemmer said decorative lighting around the new roundabout will be erected on historic poles that were used along Business 54 South in front of the Commons Shopping Center. Instead of the light being mounted on a wooden pole, the lights will be mounted an a decorative black steel pole.
He said there would be only one light globe to a pole and not the three lights use in some areas of the city.
Moore said the City Council also is discussing the banners that are placed over Bluff Street from time to time by civic organizations. The city erects the banners at no charge. Moore said one was erected recently that drew some objections.
Moore said he would favor eliminating the banners but the council decided not to do anything at this time.
Moore said he doesn't want to deal with potential problems if someone wants to put up a controversial banner.