Published: January 04, 2010 10:14 pm      

City engineer opposes speed limit hike

By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — An ordinance to raise the speed limit on Veterans Memorial Drive from 17th Street to 42nd Street hit a speed bump Monday night after the council heard of opposition from City Engineer John Porter.

“I spoke with the city engineer today, and he is opposed,” Mt. Vernon Police Chief Chris Mendenall reported to the council during a first reading on the ordinance. “He is concerned about the bridge on the overpass being engineered for 35 miles per hour ... and there are mixed opinions on it.”

City Manager Ron Neibert said he received word from Porter on Monday afternoon stating the engineer, and has asked Porter to conduct a site survey on the area.

“Doing a first read only will allow him time to do the field work,” Neibert said.

Mendenall gave the council some history on the speed limit postings along Veterans Memorial Drive.

“It was 40 miles per hour at one time,” Mendenall said. “About 10 years ago, the speed was dropped to 30 (mph) from 26th Street to 30th, then increased. ... The speed limits were not consistent, and there were complaints from people that it was a speed trap because the speed limit was posted at 40 then dropped immediately to 30.”

Mendenall said after driving the area, he personally doesn’t see a problem with the proposed change.

“You will need to consider how fast people drive,” Mendenall cautioned, saying that police officers are “very lenient” about how they issue speeding citations.

“If you want people driving 50, that’s what you’ll get,” he warned. “With the future development coming into that area, the hospital and the apartments, the question is, would that speed be safe?”

Mendenall said although he believes the increased speed limit would be appropriate for the area from 26th Street to 30th Street, he doesn’t think the council wants to “go back in time” to various speed limits along Veterans.

According to Mayor Mary Jane Chesley, many residents have commented about the speeds, stating motorists are traveling the speed limit only to have other motorists come up on them fast. In addition, residents have asked about why the speed limits along Veterans don’t correspond with speeds posted along Broadway. Council member David Wood commented that Broadway is a four-lane roadway with a turn lane, which helps with the safety issue in regards to speed.

“I think we need to proceed with the engineer’s evaluation, and get public comment on it,” Chesley said. “...With the interchange open, we may have traffic backed up at some point in the future, and I believe we may have better traffic flow.”

In addition, council members commented about getting a traffic count in the area of Veterans Memorial Drive and 42nd Street in order to find out if a traffic light would be merited.

Another traffic light problem on the west side of the city has now been resolved, Chesley reported. Complaints about the short time the light at Wells Bypass and Broadway remained green for the left turn lane have been addressed by the Illinois Department of Transportation, which operates the lights.

“All the calls to IDOT have paid off,” Chesley said. “The city manager received a call this afternoon ... the shortness of the light has now been corrected.”

In other business, the council:

Approved a revolving loan agreement with Phoenix Modular Elevator, which is now operating in the former Infinite Access building on Perkins Ave.; and

Approved a modification to a revolving loan agreement with John Paul and Johnna Braswell to allow a new company to locate in its building just off Illinois Highway 15.