County says not so fast to speed limit change

The Ozaukee County Board last week put the brakes on a plan to reduce the speed limit on the west end of Fredonia, with supervisors and other officials saying they would like to see a traffic study completed to gauge the need for and effects of the proposed change.

Last month, the county Public Works Committee recommended dropping the speed limit on Fredonia Avenue from 35 mph to 25 mph.

It did so after supervisors learned at its February meeting that the 35 mph speed limit on Highway A/H, which turns into Fredonia Avenue, on the west side of the village was changed to 25 mph by the Fredonia Public Works Department without the knowledge of county officials by moving the 25 mph sign at the top of the hill 800 feet closer to the entrance to Waubedonia Park.

Fredonia residents were concerned vehicles traveling east would “gun it” until they got up the hill, where school buses stop to pick up children from a nearby apartment complex.

The street, however, is a county highway, giving the county authority to set the speed limit, which requires passage of an ordinance.

The county’s old ordinance called for a 35 mph speed limit west of the village and  lowered the speed limit to 25 or 30 mph once inside the village limits.

Under the new ordinance, the speed limit would be 45 mph from Cigrand Drive east to Park Road, 25 to 30 mph from Park Road east for 1/16 mile and then 25 mph through the village to Highway 57.

At last week’s County Board meeting, however, Ozaukee County Sheriff Christy Knowles, some supervisors and other officials questioned whether the lower speed limit should extend all the way to the Milwaukee River and the entrances to Waubedonia County Park, about 2,200 feet from the top of the hill.

Some supervisors also said they were concerned that the speed limit would drop precipitously from 45 mph to 25 mph and would require additional signage to warn motorists.

Supervisors directed that a speed study be conducted to gauge the speed and volume of traffic there.

County Highway Commissioner Jon Edgren said Tuesday that the study will likely be done in May with results being reported to the Traffic Safety Commission in July. If action is proposed,  the Public Works Committee will take up the matter in August and then it will go back to the County Board in September for final approval.