During the most recent city council work session, a sign being placed on the corner of South Main and Smith Streets to restrict parking from the corner was discussed. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

The city Public Works Department’s Traffic Division will install no standing signs from 50 feet to the corner on South Main and Smith streets.

The issue of parking too close to the corner was brought up before at previous City Council meetings, specifically in the Public Safety Committee meeting in December. The committee discussed it at the time after receiving a note from a member of the public who was having issues. While it was decided at the time to bring the matter to the Public Works Committee, the potential of putting in a sign was also discussed at that time.

“Looking at what was presented to us, maybe a sign from here to the corner could be put in to keep cars and vehicles from parking right up to Smith, where they’re blocking,” Councilman Bill Reynolds, R-Ward 5, said during the December meeting. “When people come up to Smith to make a turn, depending on what the parking side of the street on Main is, you might not be able to see around a car that’s close to Smith.”

During the most recent City Council work session, Councilman Randy Daversa, R-At Large and chair of the Public Works committee, said they made the decision to put in that sign following a few similar incidents.

“The line of sight for the people that pull out of Smith wasn’t good enough to see oncoming traffic because cars were parked there,” Daversa said. “So, the traffic division went down and looked at it and decided that they are going to put in and restrict it 50 feet to the corner, it’s going to be a no standing sign.”

Daversa also briefly reported on the DPW’s current salt stock, which has not been an issue, though he said some municipalities in the state are struggling to get salt. In a similar vein, he said there are now eight trucks equipped with liquid brine, which will also help the salt situation.