Chelsea council discusses speed limit, traffic signal changes
A few traffic changes could make their way to Chelsea in upcoming weeks.
During pre-council at the March 15 Chelsea City Council meeting, Mayor Earl Niven said he had recently requested from ALDOT changes to traffic signals and speed limits in the city.
During a meeting with ALDOT, Niven said he asked the speed limit on U.S. 280 from Essex Drive to Chelsea Park Drive drop to 50 miles per hour.
“They have agreed to it,” Niven said.
Niven said he hopes the change in speed limit, which was previously 55 mph in some areas and 65 mph closer to Chelsea Park, will help reduce the number of accidents. He plans to give another week or two for signs to be changed, he said, before asking for checking in on the timeline.
He added that ALDOT still had not agreed to a traffic signal, which several residents have petitioned for, at Chelsea Park Drive, but Niven said ALDOT is continuing a traffic study for that intersection.
“But they are looking at something else to help with that congestion,” Niven said.
Chelsea council member Alison Nichols, who has been a school bus driver in Chelsea for more than 10 years, asked Niven to bring up school buses and their movement through the intersection in future discussions.
Although there are other ways to exit Chelsea Park, Nichols said of the two routes — one turning onto U.S. 280 and the other crossing a railroad track — the U.S. 280 intersection was determined to be safer when Chelsea Park Elementary opened.
“It’s a numbers thing,” she said. “Throughout time, more children have been killed on buses by trains than anything else.”
While there was no definite yes on a traffic signal at Chelsea Park, council member Dale Neuendorf said it was good the light had not been turned down completely.
Niven said there are also plans for installing a left turn signal coming out of the McDonald’s across from Highway 47.
During the council meeting, Niven recognized council member Juanita Champion. She has been on the council for 12 years, he said, and has never missed a meeting.
“This council has something that a school would be proud of,” he said.
Champion plans to retire and not seek reelection to the council.
Also at the March 15 meeting:
- The council approved for the city’s bills to be paid.
- Niven noted beautification work that is ongoing at the Chelsea Community Center. The work includes two retention ponds as well as trees and shrubs.
- The council discussed progress on the Chelsea Sports Complex. The fields are coming along, Niven said, but work has fallen behind on the concession stand. The concession stand will not be ready by the time the fields are, he said.
- Champion mentioned that bulk waste pick-up will occur on April 2. Information on what can be disposed of is available on the city’s website.