West Des Moines Council Heeds Parents' Pleas for Traffic Lights

The West Des Moines City Council heard arguments for and against installing traffic signals during construction to widen 60th Street, splitting 3-2 and deciding to include the lights in the project.

City Engineer Duane Wittstock said traffic studies don’t yet warrant signals at either the intersection of 60th Street and Wistful Vista Drive or the intersection of 60th Street and Beechtree Drive. A signal at 60th and E.P. True creates gaps in traffic that make it easier for motorists to turn onto 60th, according to the study.

The area is home to a growing number of families with young children, several of whom asked council members to consider their safety and approve the signals.

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Ray Battinger of 6142 Beechtree said hilly terrain obscures the traffic gap, especially for young children who can’t see approaching motorists.

“As a pedestrian you cannot see the gap, and it may quickly close,” he said. “I’ve had that gap close on me many times. You can’t get across that street unless you run.”

As a driver, Battinger said he doesn’t care how long he has to wait for a light to change if it improves safety.

Council Hears Parents' Pleas for Safer Crossing

For most council members, the question came down to this: If traffic signals will be needed later, why not install them now?

“I don’t think waiting is really going to do much,” said Councilman Russ Trimble. “It’s about reality and common sense, and parents who have school-aged kids, and there are a ton of them in that area.”

Trimble said he witnessed their concerns when he and his family lived on Wistful Vista Drive.

“People continually sped down 60th Street like a bat out of you know where,” he said.

TIF Money Will Pay for Widening, Traffic Signals
The $1.7 million widening project was approved last spring by the council and will be paid for with revenue generated by improvements in the Villages of Ponderosa tax increment finance district. That project is also generating the money for the traffic signals.

The TIF money will still be available a year after the widening project, set to begin this spring, is completed. Councilmen Jim Sandager and Kevin Trevillyan favored waiting until the project is completed to determine at which intersection signals are most needed.

Staff engineer Eric Petersen said that traffic is increasing at a rate of 7 percent and “we have a long way to go before it’s stabilized.” Currently, 60th Street carries 8,100 cars a day at Wistful Vista Drive and 1,200 a day at Beechtree Drive.

In some locations in the city, traffic signals were installed based on resident feedback and now appear to be improperly placed, said Sandager, who lives on Coachlight Drive, where the developer paid for the installation of a traffic signal.

The area isn’t built up yet, and Sandager said it’s not unusual to be the only motorist at the intersection of 64th Street and Coachlight Drive waiting for the light to turn green.

“I hate to say it, but I’ve run a red light there,” Sandager said.

After the 3-2 vote to include traffic signals as part of the project, the matter was referred to the public works committee to determine the best location for the lights.