Traffic Safety Commission Minutes - 08/04/2010MINUTES OF THE MEETING FOR
THE WICHITA FALLS TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION
OF
August 4, 2010
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Mark Beauchamp
David Brock
Stan Horton
Lt. Richard Garza
Dennis Marquardt
Tim Turner
Clyde Williford
Tim Hertel
EX- OFFICIO MEMBERS PRESENT:
Linda Ammons — Councilor At - large
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Tony Fulton (Excused)
Charles Byers (Excused)
Laney Oliver (Excused)
Phil Golden (Excused)
Don Vann (Excused)
EX- OFFICIO MEMBERS ABSENT
Chris McDonald (SAFB)
Clyde Williford called the May meeting of the Wichita Falls Traffic Safety
Commission to order at 1:30 p.m.
Mark Beauchamp offered the invocation.
Members and visitors introduced themselves.
The minutes were approved for June 2010.
The financial report for June was presented by Stan Horton.
Balance is $632.69.
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Accident Statistics:
Lt. Garza reported there were a total of 431 accidents for June (248) and July (183) 2010.
89 injury accidents were reported June (49) July (40) with 1 in July resulting in fatality.
City Traffic Report
Mark Beauchamp discussed the following:
The City will be replacing two new breakaway lighting poles between Kemp and
Hampstead St.
The city is in the process and evaluating new equipment to be utilized to control and
program traffic signals. The old system is over 10 years old and is outdated. Not all 104
intersections will be brought up to date but around 30 will be at this time.
Mark also advised the M.P.O was awarded a 2.7 million dollar grant was awarded to the
hike and bike trail project.
The RFP is almost complete for the new LED lighting system. And should see some
installation in the next two or three months.
State Traffic Report
Tim Hertel advised of the following:
1. Kell west is in its final stages. They have not released the contractor as of yet.
After the environmental portion is finished it should end the project
2. Maintenance and repair work on the US 287 overhead drainage problem has
been completed with exception to some clean up.
2. Hike and bike trail - most of the flat sections are complete but are still in
progress on building the retaining walls.
3. The illumination projects for Spur 325, I44, and Hwy 287 interchange has let
and is that was scheduled to start June is now underway and progressing This should be
done in early fall. This project will replace old poles that were becoming dangerous and
will now have much better lighting.
Committee Reports
1. "Safe routes to school" preliminary work has started on this project.
2. "Fatality and severe accident committee" met and did discuss the intersection of
Sheppard Access and Airport drive. They found nothing out of the ordinary. Some small
sight obstruction work was preformed but nothing major. They are looking into the
possibility of suggesting this be made an all way stop. They found no reasons in the
geometry of the intersection that would cause an accident. The one thing that most
accidents had in common was that most all involved were not from the Wichita Falls area
and may have just been unfamiliar with the area. New stop bars were installed to help
with recognition.
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3. The committee has had a request from the news media to review the intersection of
Southwest Parkway and Mcniel St. Mark advised he had check the available date and
found this intersection had seen about 6 crashes to date per year.
Unfinished Business:
Item 03 -10: Cell Phone Texting While Driving - Committee will research the
applicable adoption of ordinance to make it an offense for a person to text on a cell phone
while operating a motor vehicle inside the city limits of Wichita Falls. Research will be
conducted by contacting other cities for information on this topic.
New Business:
Items of Discussion:
Item 03 -10: Cell Phone Texting While Driving - Committee will research the applicable
adoption of ordinance to make it an offense for a person to text on a cell phone while
operating a motor vehicle inside the city limits of Wichita Falls. Research will be
conducted by contacting other cities for information on this topic. Discussion followed
with the recommendation from Linda Ammons that we invite City Attorney Miles Risley
to the September meeting for recommendation on this subject.
There being no further business before the Commission, the meeting was adjourned at
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S an Horton
Secretary /Treasurer
Wichita Falls Traffic Safety Commission
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WICHITA FALLS TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMISSION
FINANCIAL REPORT
Expenditures include
March Balance $ 632.69
Expenditures
Total
$ 632.69
An audio recording of the above meeting in its entirety will be
kept on file for future reference.
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