Report Comes In On 4-Way Stop Downtown

Kimball City Council met for their January monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 16, and council President Don Muench conducted the meeting due to the absence of Mayor John Morrison. Others in attendance included Christy Warner and Gabe Ingram. City administrator Annette Brower was absent, as was Councilman Creg Pike.

Council approved a $25,000 business grant for Patriot Carwash, LLC to be paid when the project is completed.

In the big news at the meeting, the long awaited Road Safety Assessment Report for the proposed and approved four-way stop at Chestnut and 2nd streets was presented to the council. Megan Patent-Nygren of the Nebraska Local Technical Assistance Program, prepared and authored the report.

The council did not vote on a plan for the corner’s future.

Crash data showed that in the past 10 years, eight accidents were documented but all accidents revolved around parking issues in the two block area.

Patent-Nygren findings included:

• Sight distance is adequate.

• Signage is in good condition but could be enhanced.

• No need for additional regulatory signage.

• Ornamental crosswalks are not compliant.

• Seating and trees encourage pedestrians.

• Wide sidewalk but pavers create safety issues for pedestrians and disabled.

• ADA curbs complaint at crosswalks.

• Radar speed sign functions to remind operators of their speed.

• Parking is at 30 degrees on Chestnut and 45 degrees on 2nd Street, both within the recommended range

• Truck is traffic an issue The incomplete bypass of Highway 71 has displaced some truck traffic.

• Truck traffic includes harvest, wheat and sugar beet, livestock haulers

Patent-Nygren continued to talk about truck traffic, with the truck route not well marked and not desirable to trucks. She had a list of improvements for trucks traffic from signage to surfaces and identying a route south of Highway 30 would make all the route easier to navigate. Patent-Nygren also suggested adopting load restrictions for peak times and days.

A list of funding opportunities were suggested in the findings of the report.

Other reports included one from Amber Sweatland, Kimball Public Library director, on yearly statistics and popular programs. She said the summer reading program for children was extremely popular, and the Kimball Makerspace is used by community members. Makerspace is open to anyone and the training is free.

Finally, police chief Jose Ruiz said that the police department answered 149 service calls over the previous month. Calls include a variety of topics from noise complaints, parking violations, dogs at large, fraud, welfare checks.