City Council signals support for Timber Drive speed study

Three weeks after approving the purchase of new radar speed signs at the request of the Rhinelander Police Department, the Rhinelander Common Council voted unanimously Monday to move forward with another project related to traffic control —  a proposed speed study of Timber Drive.

The council directed city administrator Patrick Reagan to gather proposals and cost estimates, with a goal of final approval at the next council meeting. 

 The discussion began with Rhinelander Police Chief Lloyd Gauthier offering information on the history of the roadway located east of Woodland Drive.

“For those of you who aren’t lifelong Rhinelander residents, some of the history of that (road) is that used to be a two-lane county highway. It was called County Highway CC and it went east all the way past the ice arena before the ice arena was even there, and it connected with a T intersection even further east from the ice arena with then County C. If you drive by there now you can look, it’s a snowmobile trail, it’s at a curve that goes out on C. So they redid that when they built the bypass. At that time, it was 35 miles an hour from Headwaters all the way out to the intersection with C, which was probably a mile or so. Since then, obviously, the bypass has been built, we have a residential subdivision off of Timber Heights Drive, we now have Blain’s (Farm and Fleet) there...” he continued, noting that when paving and painting resumes in the spring, a crosswalk will be added by Timber Heights Drive encouraging bikers to cross there. 

“So you’re having bikers cross at a speed where it’s posted 35 but nobody does 35, everybody’s driving at least 5 to 10 miles an hour over,” he continued. “You talk to DOT, historically traffic is traveling about 10 miles over what the posted speed limit is.”

Gauthier went on to explain that he visited the area in question and watched the traffic pattern.

“It’s concerning that people turn left or turn right off of 17 to come westbound on Timber and they accelerate to 45 and they don’t start to slow down until they get close to Woodland Drive,” he said.

“I think that now that we’ve really looked at changing the structure of that road —  it’s no longer a county highway, it’s a city street, we have Blain’s where you’re going to have traffic entering and exiting there, you have Headwaters there —  I think it’s time we need to look at reducing that speed from 35 to 25 all the way out to that controlled intersection.”

“That road is a lot different than it was 30-40 years ago when the speed limit was 35 and it was a two-lane highway,” he noted, adding that the roadway has been developed it “and it’s going to continue to develop,”

The chief also read a Nov. 20 letter signed by approximately 15 residents of the eastern part of Timber Drive who expressed concerns about motorists traveling at excessive speeds. He also stressed that safety must be at the forefront as city officials continue to work to make Rhinelander more bike and pedestrian-friendly.

Under Wisconsin law, the city has the ability to reduce the speed limit by 10 miles per hour but a traffic study is required, he added.

The alderpersons expressed support for the idea, with council president Eileen Daniel making the motion to direct Reagan to bring cost estimates to the next meeting. 

In other business Monday, the council was advised that no bids were received on the city-owned billboard at 2775 Highway 17 South.

The billboard was acquired by the city in the fall 2022 after Mayor Kris Hanus broke a 4-4 council tie. The purchase price was $4,000. In August of 2023, after learning that the billboard had yet to be used after approximately 10 months in city hands, the council voted to sell it. 

After that vote, the city announced it would be accepting bids until Nov. 22. The council set the minimum bid at $4,000, with a $100 per month lease payment.

On Monday, Reagan reported that no bids had been received and asked the council for further direction.

Alderman Gerald Anderson asked if the city could at least put something on the sign to make us of it.

“I suppose the answer is yes, but how much you want to spend would be the topic of discussion, I suppose,” Hanus replied.

Alderman Tom Barnett weighed in with an unequivocal no to spending any more money on the sign.

“I wouldn’t be in favor spending one more cent toward that billboard,” he said. “If it sits there, it sits there until someone buys it...”

Hanus then broached the idea of purchasing the billboard himself.

“How about this, I’ll do you one better, as a person who lives in the city and owns businesses, I will buy that billboard for what the city has invested in it and I will agree to do it at $100 a month payment,” he said.

If he could go back in time and do it over again, he would not vote in favor of the purchase, he added.

The council appeared amenable to the idea — Barnett even told the mayor he felt it was “big” of him to admit the billboard purchase was an error — but there was some concern about “optics and legalities.”

City attorney Steve Sorenson advised that there was nothing improper about the mayor’s suggestion.

“My recommendation to you would be to establish a dollar amount, and the city administrator should be able to say how much money we have invested in this sign at this time, and that dollar amount should be noticed to the public. (Tell the public) that’s the amount the mayor said he would pay for it and if somebody steps up and says ‘I’ll pay that dollar amount’ the mayor would say ‘I won’t and you can.’”

“There’s nothing in the law that says a city official, any one of you, can’t buy city property, as long as it’s done upfront,” he added.

Barnett also interjected to note that Hanus specifically stated that he wishes to purchase the billboard as a business owner and not in his capacity as an elected official.

“There’s nobody interested and I think it’s just going to sit there,” Barnett added.

The discussion ended with the council directing Reagan to work up an agreement with the mayor and bring it back to the council for approval.

The sale of city-owned property must be approved by the council, Sorenson noted.

To watch the full council meeting, visit www.hodagtv.com.

Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].