City Council to reassess Court Street loading zone

The City Council will again be asked tonight its opinion on a 15-minute parking zone along the 100 block of Court Street during its work session tonight.

In December 2008, the council assuaged the owners of the then First National Beef & Brew, 108 Court St., by agreeing to install a loading zone in front of the business, despite concerns from city Engineer Kurt W. Hauk and Police Chief Joseph J. Goss that drivers do not have enough time to react when entering Court Street from Arsenal Street.

For more than a year, the Public Works department has stood idle on the council's decision to install signs in the area.

Council members made note of the lack of compliance with their directive in City Manager Mary M. Corriveau's annual review. Throughout the spring, the council has reminded the city manager of their decision.

The topic will again come up tonight. Included in the council's agenda packet are memos from Mr. Hauk and a copy of Mr. Goss's letter stating their opposition to the loading zone recommended for 108-112 Court St.

Included in the packet are also some traffic statistics for Public Square. Since August 2008, 80 traffic accidents have been reported in Public Square, 32 of which were where one vehicle rear-ended another.

“These are generally due to a driver following too close, the driver's inability to react to a vehicle stopped in the street or at a light or backing out of a parking spot, and also the inability of drivers to see oncoming traffic as they are backing out of a parking spot into oncoming traffic,” Mr. Hauk wrote in the memo.

He continues later on: “In my view, the accident record reinforces my opinion that adding a parking area or loading zone on this section of Court Street will increase the demand on drivers and not lessen it.”

In his December 2008 memo to the council, the police chief concurs with Mr. Hauk, although he cites the engineer's concerns as being valid enough for him to go against the request.

Discussion about the topic tonight should be colorful because staff's reinforcement of the issue basically boils down to it asking if the council if it backs its previous decision.

"I asked City Engineer Kurt Hauk to relook at the traffic and accident counts on Public Square and reassess his original negative recommendation on establishing the requested loading zone,” wrote Mrs. Corriveau in a letter to the council.