HomeMy WebLinkAboutA006 - Letter to Traffic Engineer from Brian McWaters Mr. Scott Logan
Public Works Department
City of Ames
515 Clark Ave .
P . O. Box 811
Ames , Ia . 50010
Dear Mr . Logan
Thank you for the letter explaining what is proposed for the
alternate-side parking. I also appreciate the opportunity to be
involved and voice my opinion .
From your letter I know you remember talking to me , as I
mentioned the concern for the time frame for alternate-side
parking. I must not have communicated very well , as I 'm very much
opposed to the proposed alternate-side parking on loth Street
between Kellogg Ave . and Burnett Ave . Since I moved here in 1986 ,
I have not had any problems with the one-side parking. I think it
has worked very well .
Let me address the issues you note in your letter . You note
problems with clearing snow due to heavy utilization of on-street
parking. Tenth Street between Kellogg and Burnett has not had much
72-hour parking. This is true not only in the winter but summer as
well . In fact , as I 'm typing this letter the plows are removing
snow from loth Street and there is only one vehicle parked between
Kellogg and Burnett . I think the snow removal issue is overstated,
as the city only plows when there is 4" or more at one time . This
only happens a few times a year . The first couple of years I lived
here I don ' t remember any plowing at all .
Secondly, we have mostly hospital parking during the day.
These vehicles are usually gone at night . I see problems with the
72-hour parking in the areas where there is a high density of
rental units .
As an engineer , I can ' t endorse the alternate-side parking
because of the potential safety problems when parking is permitted
on both sides of the street in the winter . The street width is 26 '
B-B. When we do get snow, we lose 2 ' -3 ' of street width on each
side of the street . You then have the potential of an impassable
street . Two , 7 ' widP vehicles parked on each side of a 20 ' -22 '
wide street will not allow cars to use the street . You may think
this is unlikely, but we barely have enough room for two vehicles
passing each other next to a parked car. With the snow this year ,
only one vehicle can get by a parked car .
The city fathers were on target and correct when they
designated one-sided parking on these narrow streets . With the
hospital going to build their ramp , we should see a lot less on-
street parking in the future .
I 'm lucky, I have off-street parking as well as a corner lot .
I can park on either street . However , I 'm very much opposed to the
change in ordinance to require alternate-side parking on loth
Street between Kellogg Ave. and Burnett Ave.
Y
Sincerely,
Brian McWaters
1003 Kellogg Ave.
Ames , Ia. 50010-5747
232-3469
cc : Sharon Wirth