LA CROSSE COUNTY HIGHWAY SAFETY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Law Enforcement Center and Courthouse

Sheriff’s Department Training Room

1:30 p.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Mike Allison, Tim Berg, Al Blencoe, Matt Gallager, Tim Hammes,

                                      Ilona Hansen, Dennis Johnson, Bill Lubinski, Marvin Schaitel (for

                                      Andrew Winga), Evan Stone

MEMBERS EXCUSED:            John Flynn, Roland Solberg

MEMBERS ABSENT:           Sheriff Helgeson

CALL TO ORDER

Sgt. Bill Lubinski, Committee Coordinator, called the meeting to order.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes of the November 7, 2007 Highway Safety Commission were approved with the following corrections:

1. The number of hit & run accidents in 2005 was 38, not 35 as printed.
2. The law of the month regarding yellow lights at intersections was the November law of the month, not December as printed.

STATE HIGHWAY 33 & COUNTY ROAD YY CONCERNS

Discussion continued about the State Highway 33 and County Road YY concerns voiced by the Kammel’s at the last Highway Safety Commission meeting.  Gerald Kammel was not able to be present at today’s meeting.  He had received a letter this past week from the State which stated that nothing further will be done in this area.  Project engineers did a site status and determined the area meets all standards of the Department of Transportation. 

The curve actually helps in viewing oncoming traffic.  There is a 600-foot sight distance in both directions, which is better than what is required.  The brush and/or trees that were mentioned in the last minutes do not seem to be a problem.

The Kammel’s concern was brought to the attention of the Secretary of Transportation.  The area is considered to be an improvement from what it was prior to the reconstruction.  The perception is that this area is good due to the lack of crashes there.  The DOT tracks where accidents happen and focus their attention on those areas. 

There was concern that if a change was made for one driveway, the residents of the 50 other driveways in this stretch of highway would want changes also.  This would not be feasible.  The representative from the DOT was not aware of any other residents who have voiced concerns of changes made on Highway 33.

Gerald Kammel had stated that he would like the driveway to come out on County Road YY instead of State Highway 33.  In order for this to be an option, it may have to go through someone’s lawn and there may be a blind spot on YY with the crest of a curve.

There was discussion about the differences between driveways and Town roads.

It was decided to put this item on the agenda for the next Highway Safety Commission meeting when hopefully both Mr. Kammel and a DOT representative will be present.

LA CROSSE COUNTY SPOT MAP/CRASH DATA FOR 2007

A new category had to be added in the 4th quarter – car/bear.  There were two car/bear crashes in La Crosse County at different locations.  In both cases the bear ran off.

Hit & runs were high for the 4^th quarter and are high in the City of La Crosse as well.  This may be because the driver has no insurance, has no driver’s license, or has been using intoxicants.

The average total number of accidents from 2003 through 2007 for La Crosse County and the Wisconsin State Patrol is 943, so 2007 was better than the average.

The one fatality in the 4^th quarter resulted when a passenger received a bruised lung from the seatbelt and died two days later.  There was no indication at the scene that this would be a fatality accident.

The City of La Crosse had 2 fatalities in 2007 (1 pedestrian and 1 motorcyclist) and the Village of Holmen had 1 fatality (a pedestrian).  This makes a total of 6 fatalities for the entire county for 2007.  The average is 7.

Of 140 crashes with 270 occupants, 235 reported wearing seatbelts for an 87% compliance rate.  9 involved alcohol.

ONALASKA POLICE DEPARTMENT SPOT MAP/CRASH DATA

The Onalaska crash data will be reviewed at a future Highway Safety Commission meeting.  Once the new tracking system is completed, they will go back and complete the data.

WI DOT TRAFFIC SAFETY UPDATE

Dennis Johnson reported that as of Tuesday, February 5, 2008, there have been 63 crash related fatalities in Wisconsin compared to 71 through the same date in 2007.  The five-year average is 75.  There were fewer crashes in 2007 compared to 2006, but more fatalities. 

The law of the month for December is that drunk driving can ruin holidays.  Around 44,000 driving while intoxicated citations were issued last year.  This doesn’t take into account those who were not caught.

The January law of the month involves what the real causes of winter crashes are.  Drivers need to slow down.  People expect to get where they are going in the same amount of time it takes in warmer months with dry road conditions.  They need to drive reasonably and prudently for winter road conditions.

The law of the month for February is to eliminate distractions.  Pay attention to your driving.

Legislators are working on a snowmobile law extending the 55 mph limit during darkness, a law prohibiting cell phone use by probationary license holders, and a law prohibiting motorcyclists from using cell phones.

Bills being introduced for legislation include:

-          an 8-year driver’s license renewal

-          driver’s using cell phones at fault

-          fine for mandatory seatbelt usage to increase from $10 to $25

-          ban cell phone use for all drivers

-          fine for littering to increase from $50 to $1000 (which would make it higher than some driving offenses).

Dennis distributed a Teaching Safe Bicycling brochure.

ANNOUNCEMENTS/DISCUSSION

At a regional conference the question was raised of what impact this committee has for providing safety conscious activities.  Long-range safety planning is being looked at at the state and federal levels.  The purpose of the Highway Safety Commission is to provide State-required spot maps, to have representation from various areas, to serve as an advisory committee, and to make written recommendations to the DOT, County, or other agencies.

A concern from dispatch was brought up about the many intersections where Highways 35 and 53 cross.  This is a challenge for dispatchers to know which intersection to send emergency vehicles to when the caller only says the intersection of Highway 35 and 53.  There was discussion about how callers can identify exactly where they are.  Other counties must have the same problem.  The commission wondered if the County marking the hills has been helpful.  There is a federal manual and uniform traffic code device.  GPS will help in the future, but for now it is confusing.

There was discussion about videos.  Laws do not allow for video surveillance for enforcement.  Small cameras can be worn by officers.  The patrol captain of the Sheriff's Department can look in on any squad camera at any time. 

The more data that is collected, the more it can help in predicting and planning, which will enable everyone to be more and more efficient.  It also provides feedback back and forth between other organizations.  More information can be included in the La Crosse County Sheriff's Department’s website. 

In the future this commission will be able to use Pictometry to visibly see an area under discussion.

There was discussion about drivers who believe they can drive as fast as the speed limit, even in snow conditions or other bad road conditions.  They think if they have a 4-wheel drive vehicle they will not have any problems on snow or ice.  In yesterday’s bad weather, about 80% of the vehicles in the ditches were 4-wheel drives.

There seems to be more and more traffic accidents where the driver doesn’t have a license and/or insurance.  This could explain why there are an increasing number of hit & run accidents in the area.  Wisconsin doesn’t require insurance like the surrounding states do.  In Wisconsin a person doesn’t have to be a US citizen to register a vehicle and does not need to have a driver’s license.

Due to the salt shortage, the County has been instructed to cut back on their usage.

Neighborhood electric vehicles (such as golf carts) are not allowed on State highways.  A city would have to have a local ordinance drafted and forwarded to the State.  The maximum speed allowed is 25 mph.  They cannot be on roads which have posted limits of 35 mph or higher.

AGENDA FOR MAY 14, 2008 MEETING

Ilona Hansen will talk to Gerald Kammel to see if he can attend the next Highway Safety Commission meeting.

Items to be included on the May 14, 2008 agenda include La Crosse County spot map/crash data for 1^st quarter of 2008, Onalaska Police Department spot map/crash data, Wisconsin Department of Transportation traffic safety representative update, and State Highway 33 and County Road YY concerns.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:19 p.m.

The above minutes may be approved, amended, or corrected at the next Committee meeting.

Roxanne Felde, Recorder