Downtown traffic lights to be removed

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Plans have been set to remove three traffic lights in downtown Van Wert.

During Monday night’s meeting of Van Wert City Council, Safety-Service Director Jay Fleming shared the details and said the first traffic signal to go will be the one at the intersection of E. Main St. and Cherry St. His plan calls for stop signs to go up on Cherry St. and to switch the existing traffic light to flashing red on Cherry and flashing yellow on Main St. for 30 days, which would allow motorists time to become acclimated to the change.

“At the end of 30 days we would remove the traffic light,” Fleming said.

On July 1, stop signs will be erected at the intersection of Central Ave and Market St. and the light will be switched to a four-way flash mode for 30 days, then removed after that. The same change is slated to occur at the intersection of Central Ave. and Walnut St. on October 1, with the traffic light coming down at the end of October.

“We thought not doing it all at once might be helpful,” Mayor Ken Markward said. 

While Fleming has the authority to make the changes on a temporary basis, city council will need to pass legislation to make it permanent.

Fleming also noted the Main St. waterline project is progressing as expected and he said the Bonnewitz Ave. extension project is ongoing. He noted crews are waiting for certain parts to come in for the Bonnewitz project.

As expected, council unanimously approved an ordinance reducing the speed limit from 35 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour on S. Washington St., from the intersection of South Ave. through the intersection of Sycamore St., along with an ordinance removing a parking space near the intersection of S. Washington St. and E. Crawford St. Both changes are designed to make it safer for school children who walk in that area and cross the street.

After a brief executive session, Markward announced plans for the city to purchase land adjacent to Smiley Park, at the intersection of Woodland Ave. and John Brown Rd. The purchase will cost the city $180,000 and the current owner will remove the house. Markward also said there’s no specific use planned yet, but it’s expected the property will utimately be used to improve the park. Legislation authorizing the purchase is expected at a future meeting.

Main St. Van Wert Executive Director Mitch Price shared a slightly revised DORA map to council and request it be passed to allow the VFW to become part of the DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area). DORA cups would not be allowed in the library or the YMCA, but would be allowed on the sidewalk in front of both.

In other business, council approved a Community Reinvestment Area agreement with Interplas Packaging, along with the transfer of an existing CRA between the City and The Editon to Mac White LLC.

At the request of City Auditor Erika Blackmore, council members approved three “then and now” invoices: $8,319 for the Regional Planning Commission, $6,940 to Hedgeson and Associates for Van Wert Municipal Court software, and just over $15,000 to CIH for new garage doors at the street department.

Council members ended the meeting with an executive session to discuss possible raises for the next term, but no action was taken afterward.

The next meeting of Van Wert City Council will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, February 24, in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St.