March 29, 2024

City council eyes downtown traffic safety

Two new stops signs proposed

An uncontrolled intersection near Newton’s downtown business district will likely see new stop signs after the city’s traffic safety committee introduced the suggestion to the city council.

The new stop signs, which will be located at the intersection of East Second Street South and South Third Avenue East passed its first consideration Monday night. The traffic safety committee expressed concerns to the city council about having an uncontrolled intersection near the south side of the downtown business district and recommended two stop signs be placed for the northbound and southbound traffic.

Resident Dixie Cassidy took the opportunity to address some items that she had concerns about.

“I overheard this young couple come into the post office and they asked this older lady, ‘Would you recommend us moving to Newton?’. And she had nothing but negative things to say about this town,” Cassidy said.

“Maybe you need to get it out to the public a little bit more than what you do. It was quite an eye opener listening to her.”

Also, she had concerns about an intersection near her home that has no stop signs but a lot of foot traffic from school children.

“I live over by Woodrow Wilson school, and the one intersection is where kids cross continuously to get to school. There is no stop sign on West Sixth Street South (at) South Ninth Avenue West and South 11th Avenue West. I have seen with my own eyes, kids going to school and kids leaving the school ... and cars will go through that intersection like a bat out of Hades,” Cassidy said. Her suggestion is to put a stop sign in those intersections.

In other business, the Minimum Rental Housing Code will replace the Minimum Housing Code to help meet the needs of the city in the way of health, safety and the well-being of the residents and owners of rented property.

The new code is an update of the 1978 code that was currently in place. It brings the city in line with the current State of Iowa Housing Code and makes application of the code easier to enforce. The new code also holds everyone to the same standard and provides clear definitions. The changes in the code were discussed at length in previous meetings and all concerns were addressed before it was passed and adopted.

Contact Staff Writer Jamee A. Pierson at (641) 792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com.