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Council: No one-way on Fourth Avenue in Norway

NORWAY — The Norway City Council won’t pursue making Fourth Avenue by Norway-Vulcan Area Schools a one-way street for student safety, after residents Monday argued parking was the bigger problem in the area.

The proposal originally came from a school safety committee made up of city and school officials, City Manager Ray Anderson said at a public hearing on the matter Monday.

School buses this year began dropping off and picking up students on the south side of Fourth Avenue to relieve traffic congestion around the school, Anderson said. But the concern is that parents will drop off and pick up students on the north side of Fourth Avenue, possibly leading to children running across a busy street and into traffic, he explained.

Making the street one-way may cut down on that potential problem, Anderson said.

Any child needing to cross Fourth Avenue to a parent’s vehicle could be escorted by a crossing guard, council member Jeremy Oja suggested.

But bus driver Terry Backlund said the major problem he encounters is parents parking directly in the bus loading zone.

Resident Rae Jean Schultz agreed parking was the issue, adding drivers should slow down and police should issue more tickets for traffic violations in the area.

The council could approve a traffic control order prohibiting parking on Fourth Avenue by the school during school hours, and the school could direct parents to park in the adjacent parking lot, Norway Police Chief Jim Shafer said. Another option he suggested was to post the south side of the street as bus-only parking during school hours.

Mayor Candy Brew thanked the committee and residents for their input, and said the council may look at a parking control order at a future meeting.

In other business, the council:

— Heard a presentation from Ryan Soucy of the Central Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Regional Commission on the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Redevelopment Ready Community program. Soucy spoke of reviewing and updating the master plan, having a capital improvements plan and coming up with a public participation strategy for the plans. Plans may be required for certain grant funds, Soucy said.

— Agreed to pay $3,750 to Van Ert Electric of Kingsford to replace heating control system relays at the Norway Volunteer Fire Department Hall.

— Agreed to pay $2,838 to Interstate Power Systems of Iron Mountain for parts for the city’s spare garbage truck.

— Endorsed Monroe Mayor Robert Clark and Burton Mayor Paula Zelenko for re-election to two open trustee positions on the Michigan Municipal League’s Liability and Property Pool.

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