Four signs stand back to back on Woodline Drive Tuesday morning. At Monday’s Marysville City Council meeting, members discussed whether the city has too many signs cluttering streets.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Will Channell)
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A couple Marysville City Council members are experiencing sign overload.
“Signs, signs, everywhere there’s signs,” said Councilperson Nevin Taylor, quoting the popular song “Signs.”
At Monday’s council meeting, members discussed the abundance of pedestrian and informational signage in Marysville.
“I had two friends here this week, and they’re like, ‘you must have full time people that hang up signs,’” Taylor said.
Taylor said residents would be hard pressed to go anywhere in Marysville off Main or Fifth that doesn’t have a sign nearby.
“And I think sometimes that’s part of our distracted driving,” Taylor said.
Councilperson Alan Seymour singled out signs in Adena Pointe as particularly bad offenders.
He said the area has “sign pollution.”
“It seems like there’s a neon sign at every crosswalk,” Seymour said.
Public Service Director Mike Andrako said the city installs those signs at any crosswalks that don’t have stop signs.
“It’s an additional indications to the driver that there’s a crosswalk there,” Andrako said.
In an interview, Andrako said the city generally goes by the Manuel of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, which is issued by the Federal Highway Administration. These lay out guidelines for when signage should be considered.
Those pedestrian signs, Andrako said, aren’t mandatory, but officials feel they improve safety.
“We feel like that sign is needed,” Andrako said.
As for the message boards, Andrako said
Andrako said adding new signs is never taken lightly, though he noted that deviating from the set standard could open up liability issues.
“We’re always aware of adding new signs,” Andrako said. “It can be difficult to reduce the number of signs and meet our requirements.”
Seymour said to him, it looks excessive.
“If that’s the way it is, that’s the way it is,” Seymour said.
Taylor said he recently watched a motorist bump into another while looking at one of the city’s signs advertising Uptown events.
“I appreciate informing our public, but you know, we’re finally making them realize that the cell phone’s not another sign to look at, and then we’re putting a bunch out there,” Taylor said.
City Manager Terry Emery also laid out the city’s holiday plans going forward.
Emery said the city’s Merry on Main Celebration will take place Saturday, which will also serve as the grand opening of the ice skating rink at Partners Park. Santa will be available at his house from 10 a.m. to noon.
Councilperson Henk Berbee also asked City Engineer Jeremy Hoyt about the work being done on West Fifth Street next to Pizza Hut. Officials said crews are working there to increase sewer capacity to prevent overflow.
Hoyt said the new manhole was set Monday morning.
“There’s still a little more work to do in that area, but we’re hoping that they’re wrapped up prior to Christmas,” Hoyt said.
In other council news:
-Andrako said snow on Dec. 4 and 5 made the city spend nine operator hours and 12 tons of salt. That brings the season total to 108 operator hours and 109 tons of salt. He said those numbers “aren’t bad,” but noted that the season is still young.
-The Third Street water line improvements, according to Andrako, will continue “for the next few months.”
“We’re making good progress on that project,” Andrako said.