info@sommerplacehoa.comEVERYONE PLEASE READ!!!!!!
Notes from my (Alicia Staubus, HOA President) meeting with the city rep/Traffic Engineer, Nicholas Stoffer, regarding several traffic issues/complaints.
What the city can/will do:
1. Put stop signs on Willow Oak to make the stop a 4 way stop before the park.
2. Put up signage to mark the area of the CBU’s (cluster mailboxes)
3. Consider putting up a flashing stop sign on Sommer Blvd in the future. However, it is an expense that is not currently approved so in the meantime he suggests that we ALL just drive slower in general and continue to urge people to obey the laws for stop signs and speed limits. Lowering the speed limit is not an option. We can urge the police to sit at that intersection as often as they can. The more calls to the PD, the better!
4. This is the biggie-the State of IL is already planning to put a stop light at Koerner and War in 2015. They are bidding it out which will include widening the road for turn lanes. No petition needed!
What we need to do ourselves:
1. Again, urge ALL of us to just make a habit of slowing down. It is not just people going to the park that are speeding, its our very own neighbors.
2. Familiarize ourselves with school bus laws, traffic laws and parking laws.
(see link below- Specifically Chapter 28 Traffic and Motor Vehicles) 3. If there is an issue with parking in the neighborhood and someone is in direct violation of an ordinance, the City of Peoria can come give a citation but you have to do your homework before calling about a parking issue because they cannot come out for every complaint. If there is an issue, be a good neighbor and try to work it out first please!
https://www.municode.com/library/il/peoria/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CO_CH28TRMOVE
4. School bus stops/zones-there are not any current city signs that they can offer to designate a school bus stop/zone. Apparently these signs are only offered on County Roads.
5. As for snow plows-Nicholas is going to check on the process for snow removal and pile up but he does not believe there is anything that can be done. The plowers have to do their job as efficiently/effectively as possible.
6. Removal of snow on sidewalks-there is currently no city ordinance for removal of snow on sidewalks. So, as discussed at our September HOA meeting, we will need to come together as neighbors on this issue. Probably the best way to do this is to form a snow committee who will need to identify the school bus stops and start trying to get volunteers from each street to commit to trying to keep the “critical path” (fantastic term by Steve Rutherford) to the bus stop clear of snow prior to the time the kids start walking to/from the bus stops. The HOA board is already working to get names of contractors that neighbors can call should they be unable to clear their sidewalks for any reason. Please let me know via email (info@sommerplacehoa.com) if you can be a part of this committee so we can get going on this!
In a nutshell, let’s work together as a unified/family-friendly neighborhood!