Some of Des Moines’ Westwood neighbors say they want the city to address traffic congestion on a street near Hanawalt Elementary School during pick-up and drop-off hours.
Laurie Wolf, who has lived on 56th Street near Hanawalt Elementary south of Grand Avenue for nearly 40 years, says she wants to see congestion and safety improvements on 56th Street near Robertson Drive.
Wolf was among the few residents who spoke at the Des Moines City Council meeting on Monday, April 20, to raise similar concerns over traffic build-up, lack of visibility and speeding. She said neighbors have been asking for improvements for years.
Wolf said the street recently came back to their attention after Des Moines city engineers at a council meeting on April 6 recommended expanding an existing no-stopping, no-standing restriction between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays further north on the west side of 56th Street near Robertson Drive, according to a city memo.
The expansion would improve congestion and visibility of the school crossing at 56th Street and Robertson Drive, the memo stated. The proposal came after Des Moines Public Schools asked the city to review the existing on-street parking restrictions because of traffic buildup. Des Moines City Council member Josh Mandelbaum asked the council to table decisions about the proposal.
Neighbors worry that the extended no-parking zone will push the standing traffic north, potentially causing backups on Grand Avenue. The proposal doesn’t solve the speeding or visibility issues at 56th Street and Robertson Drive, Wolf added.
Among the solutions, neighbors say they’d like to see the no-parking or standing restrictions on 56th Street limited to pick-up and drop-off times. They’d also like the city to replace stop signs with flashing signs and add speed humps, Wolf said.
At the Monday meeting, city traffic engineer John Davis said that the city will have conversations with Des Moines Public Schools and neighbors, adding that the city has not made any final decisions.
Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@dmreg.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines neighbors ask for traffic changes near Hanawalt Elementary
Reporting by Virginia Barreda, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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