Pedestrian safety among issues for Soda City Council

The City Council of Soda Springs met for a regular meeting last week, and the biggest topic on the agenda was the recent pedestrian/car accident on Highway 30 across from the City Park.  The young girl, who was walking across the street at the crosswalk on the busy Highway 30 intersection, received minor injuries in the accident in early October, but everyone involved acknowledged that the outcome could have been significantly worse.

The driver of the vehicle, Kim Christensen, spoke to the council about the incident, and his desire to see something done to increase safety on the road.  “I have been a member of this community for a long time,” he said.  “The issue I have, I know is not a city issue, but it happened in the city. On Oct 3, at 3:15-3:30, I was involved in a pedestrian…by Arctic Circle.”  Christensen stated that a truck was parked in a spot where it was blocking the crosswalk sign at the corner.  

He had been coming from the dentist office, and when he turned back facing west, the truck had been blocking the two young ladies and he collided with one of them as he moved forward.  “The little girl is going to be okay,” Christensen said.  He explained how quickly the incident occurred by stating, “I approached the crossing, and there they were.”  He immediately pulled over and called 911, and told them to send an ambulance. “I was in shock.  My breathing was shallow and heart rate was elevated,” Christensen said.

“This is a dangerous crosswalk.  It’s used a lot by children coming across from the park.  I realize this is a state highway responsibility, but we just want some kind of improvement.”  Christensen noted that the area around the crosswalk can easily be obscured by parked vehicles and vegetation, leading to near misses. Christensen suggested putting the sign a bit further up the road, and not immediately at the crosswalk, and maybe putting the lights higher up.  

He also pointed to some of the common sense things that he sees as potential safety hazard issues that the city might take into account.  “I’d like to see better safety at all of our crossings.  Put yourself in my shoes,” Christensen said, clearly affected by the incident.  “You can imagine what flashed in front of my eyes when this happened.”

Christensen asked that the city “coordinate this concern with [the state of] Idaho, and have them maybe look at the crossings and maybe get something going?  We all have accidents, that’s why they’re called accidents.  I take full responsibility and I have and I do. I would just like to see some type of improvement if it would be okay.  I’m very proud to be a member of this city and this community.  My parents ran several successful businesses in this community, and their businesses helped put several local kids through college, and I want to continue to help.”

The issue regarding the crosswalks, signage, speed limits, and other decision on the roadway is that Highway 30 is regulated by the state transportation department.  The city has limited authority to make changes on the road, and must receive permission for any major deviations from the state.

This comes on the brink of the Highway 30 project, which is scheduled to begin soon on the same stretch of highway involved in the accident.  City engineer Alan Skinner noted that the city was trying to schedule a public input meeting for December or January to talk about community concerns as they approach the project.  

Councilmember Paul Gritton said that he contacted an ITD district engineer, who he will be communicating with about the issue.

Savanah Heslop, the mother of the accident victim, then spoke to the council.  “At 3:23 on Oct 3.  My daughter’s friend called and said that my daughter just got hit by a truck.  They aren’t even supposed to be there, because I’ve been so scared that something would happen.  I’m not mad at the city either, I keep calling the state, but I get the runaround and don’t know what to do.  It is a very dangerous road, and I know having them change the speed limit is not feasible, but if you guys can use your push, I will do what I can.”  

Savanah and Christensen shared that they had gotten to know one another after the accident, with Christensen becoming an advocate for safety on that stretch of road as a result.  The two presented a united front in their address to the council.

The city has in the past discussed the need to make the road safer on a number of occasions, but because Highway 30 is administrated by the State of Idaho, they have not been able to do anything in that regard.  As the Highway project moves forward, the city will hold public information meetings in conjunction with ITD, and citizens with concerns about the roadway and other issues will be encouraged to make their feelings known.

Citizen Input

The City Council allows for two sessions of public input during its meetings.  Regular meetings are on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 5:00 p.m.  The Public Input session allows community members to address the council about whatever issues they have an interest in discussing.  The time is often used by council members and city staff to discuss minor issues that are not on the agenda. 

Councilmember Paul Gritton, for instance, took the opportunity to discuss the Geyser visitor center.  The flooring in the center was updated and replaced for this year, and the facility is looking better than it has in years.  Gritton would like to put a visitor sign-in book in the geyser visitor center to keep track of who visits and where from.  The council and mayor thought it was a good idea and will move forward with it.  

Gritton also encouraged any local businesses to put their brochures in the kiosk.  Over the course of the summer, hundreds of brochures are taken from the kiosk by touring groups.  The location is a public site for disseminating information about local businesses, sites, and activities.    

Alan Skinner—Prokects

The trail system grant for completing a walking trail from Bailey Creek to Second Bridge was discussed.  The budget includes $124K for the base of the trail for sand, putting it in, etc.  4K tons were committed for $54K. Prep work is estimated at $10.7K with  $42.5K left for moving the sand.  Skinner says that the gavel sand exchange works out to 4.50 a ton.  

This is for the trail that would parallel Baily Creek and Second bridge.  There is a three year window to finish it, so the city is getting some pressure to start spending it down.  There will be over 500 trees put up for the project.  The city would then be obligated to maintain the trees.  

Councilmember Gritton did have concerns about the longterm cost of the trees, and the level of knowledge of the city crew with regard to trees.  

Councilmember Carpenter stated that he thought the benefits outweigh the problems.  “Trees make cities,” he said.  “It balances out the scales, anyway.  And we will have some labor the first year.  We’ll probably find some areas where we probably don’t want to replace the trees.” 

Alan Skinner said that there was a spot over on Hooper where they kept replanting but they kept dying.  

Main Street Bore is putting in pipe under the train tracks on Main.  The crew’s plan is to be at the south endpoint at noon tomorrow.  

Further discussion of the Enders rental contract was held.  A $500 security deposit was suggested.  

Clerk Andrea Haderlie  suggested keeping it simple in order to make it less of a hassle.  The idea is that the users will be responsible to clean it, or they will forfeit their deposit.  Right now, the SSPD is checking the building every day, and could do so after events to verify deposit.  

Some minor changes will be made, and the document will be ready for next week.

SSPD

An emergency vehicle instructor was certified within the department.  The officer is the only qualified instructor in the area.  

SSPD commented on crosswalk in question earlier, and noted that the state said they had some options, but nothing great.  According to SSPD, there had never been a pedestrian vs vehicle accident at that intersection as far as they knew.  BUT, they do have a lot of near misses.  “We’ve had more collisions in the last 4-5 years than we’ve ever had.  It’s distracted driving.”

Dan Squires—Fire and Water

Fire Department had one small fire recently that was extinguished without incident.

The department has recently serviced all the trucks.  Everything has been serviced.  

The fire department does not clean chimneys, because it is a task with a lot of liability.  But Squires does recommend that people with chimneys get them cleaned for the season.  There have not been a lot of chimney fires in the last several years.

Generator load testing at the transfer station and pump have been done successfully.  

Jeff Young–City Crew

A question about the lilac bushes on the Caribou Loop trail was raised.  They were reported to be in bad shape.  He wondered whether they should come out.  

Jessica Thurman--Rec

Thurman reported that Volleyball is over and that it went really well.  “The girls were awesome.”

Basketball registration is going on.  They will start on the 8th which will mean that games will still be going on after Thanksgiving.  

The ice rink was delivered on 7 pallets, weighing 4K pounds.  Thurman thanked the city crew for delivering it.  “It says it’s a 60 minute rink—I guarantee you it will take longer than that,” Thurman said.  She hosted a meeting last week, at which the project of installing the rink was discussed, as well as possibly moving a porta potty out there.  The park bathroom is closed for the season, and far away from the rink.  

Thurman explained the origin of the Canadian insult “hoser,” which refers to the losing team that has to hose down the ice after a game.  

The sled hill looks great for this year.  “Whatever I need to do with sled hill, I’ll do,” Thurman asserted.

ICRMP Board of trustees

The city nominated Pocatello mayor Brian Blad to serve on the board.

Irene Torgesen

She has been noticing the kids running across the crosswalk to Hooper near Kelly Park.  She has noticed a couple almost be hit by cars.  She thinks there should also be a crosswalk in that area.  She has observed it all summer.  “If you could consider it, that would be appreciated.”

RW says that there should be some code enforcement checks for trees.

Jeff Young has noted them and they have sent out notices.