Posted: Feb. 21, 2010 |(0) Comments

Village officials won’t be closing West Green Tree Road anytime soon.

Facing a federal lawsuit and growing opposition from residents, the Village Board has delayed taking any action on a controversial plan to partially close the road between River and Jean Nicolet roads.

The board in November approved, on a six-month trial basis, the closure of the eastbound lane of Green Tree after residents raised safety concerns. Buses, emergency vehicles, and village vehicles would be allowed to use the lane, under that plan, but all other traffic would be prohibited.

But last month, after receiving petitions from those who opposed the closure and after a lawsuit was filed by the city of Glendale and the Nicolet School District, the board voted to reconsider its November action.

At a board meeting last week, with more than three dozen people waiting to speak on the pros and cons of the plan, trustees first met in closed session with attorney Michael Cieslewicz to discuss the lawsuit.

Although the board did not take up the issue after the closed session, Village President Robert Brunner took comments from the audience, where opponents of the road closure outnumbered those who supported it.

Safety issue questioned

The village has received petitions signed by more than 200 residents who oppose the plan, compared to the 32 residents who originally asked for the partial closure.

Many of those who oppose the closing doubted there is a safety issue on the street.

“In 35 years in the village, I have never observed anything approaching a safety problem,” said Sheldon Lubar, who said he drives Green Tree Road to avoid congestion on Good Hope and Port Washington roads. “I have heard no factual justification for what you are asking.”

Some came armed with information.

“In 1986, when the street was reworked, it was built for a speed limit of 30 mph and an expectation of 4,000 vehicles per day,” Melanie Halstrom said. “We have not reached that volume and in addition, the speed limit is lower than 30 mph.”

Halstrom presented petitions signed by 120 residents opposed to the partial closure, including some who live on the north side of street.

Pam Geimer pointed out there is a sidewalk on Green Tree Road. Other streets in the village have far more traffic without the benefit of sidewalks, she said.

“There are a lot of safety issues elsewhere in the village, on Brown Deer and Good Hope roads,” she said. Shelly Zussman, who lives on Range Line Road, noted it is a far busier road than Green Tree. “We have no sidewalk,” she said. “There are trucks on Range Line Road. I would like it closed, too, but that is not feasible.”

Steve Simon lives on Green Tree and supports a partial closure.

“With all due respect to the dissenters, quite honestly they don’t have the perspective unless they live on the road,” he said. “It is unsafe to mow the area close to the road, to get mail.”

Study says drivers do speed

Residents favoring the partial closure proposal seized on a small part of the Glendale-commissioned traffic study of the area. The city offered to work with the village on the problem prior to the Village Board’s decision to allow the partial trial closure.

“Ninety three percent of the cars speed,” said Donna Manley.

The study did say 93 percent of the cars exceed the 25-mph speed limit posted on part of the road, while 52 percent exceeded 30 mph on the road. Eleven percent were driving faster than 35 mph.

The Glendale study made a number of suggestions for improvements, but did not support a partial closure, instead strongly recommending that two-way traffic continue on the street.

The study recommended improvements that included moving a speed limit sign, lengthening a right-turn lane on Green Tree Road immediately west of Port Washington Road, and increasing police enforcement. The study also suggested using speed feedback signs and a trial use of speed tables, rubberized devices that are screwed into the pavement and help reduce speed, if other steps fail.

The Village Board is expected to take up the issue again at its March 17 meeting.