Handicap parking space approved on Lake Street
Warsaw Traffic Safety Commission approved a handicapped parking spot today in the unlimited parking area of South Lake Street between Market and Center streets.
The new designated parking space will be south of the alley and the last parking space in that unlimited parking area.
Originated by a request for handicapped parking in the downtown area, traffic safety officials began looking at what handicapped parking was available. Their finding was there are not many spots, especially in unlimited parking areas.
To avoid re-writing a town ordinance to place an unlimited handicapped parking space in a two-hour parking area, Warsaw Police Lt. Kip Shuter presented the proposal. “It’s close to the downtown area and will fit in there,” he stated.
Dirk Felger, commission member, questioned why not remove three spots and provide two handicapped parking spaces? It was noted the unlimited parking areas are popular with employees of the downtown businesses and taking three spaces away would “probably hurt us.”
Mayor Joe Thallemer noted it was hard to find an adequate spot in an unrestricted area. All other handicapped locations are in two-hour restricted parking areas. He also noted there were discussions of issuing handicapped tags for unlimited parking in two-hour areas, but that would not be easy.
Shuter also noted in the near future the city will need to revisit the handicapped parking situation all together as the locations are now mixed — first spot, last spot, middle of blocks. “We will need to look at it to provide the best spots.”
Thallemer noted the municipal lot may potentially offer more spots if the need is found.
An announcement by the Indiana Department of Transportation regarding new traffic signals along US 30 at Silveus Road, Spring Hill Road and Parker Street, promoted a suggestion to ask the state to extend the eastbound left turn signal on US 30 at Parker as well on Parker onto US 30.
Mike Klondaris, board member, suggested the need to look into repainting lines on city streets, as some are so faded it is unknown which lane to use. It was stated Jeff Beeler, city street superintendent, is working on a maintenance schedule, which the town has never had.
The next meeting of the commission will be May 6.