A plan was adopted Tuesday evening that will determine how Michigan Street in Sturgeon Bay will be configured with regard to bicycle traffic in the future, but it was not the plan that surfaced after a recent forum on the matter. Instead, the plan was introduced by Alderman Ron Vandertie who said it came out of his desire to retain parking on the busy street. Vandertie read the provisions of his plan for Michigan Street…[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/N1437.mp3|titles=Alderman Ron Vandertie]
Alderman Bob Schlicht, chairman of the parking & traffic committee & the bicycle & pedestrian advisory board, said he was disappointed that a sound plan for dealing with Michigan Street had been superseded by an untested approach brought in at the 11th hour…[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/N1439.mp3|titles=Alderman Bob Schlicht]
Vandertie’s resolution was approved on a five to two vote.
A total of nine citizens addressed the Sturgeon Bay City Council Tuesday during discussion on bicycle, traffic & parking delineations on Michigan Street. On one side, speakers emphasized the loss of parking & property values, on the other it was all about safety & commerce. Paul Anschutz expressed strong support for biking & a striping plan for Michigan Street…[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/N1440.mp3|titles=Paul Anschutz]
But Mike Barry, a former school board member, noted that bicycles have been used on Michigan Street for decades without the need for striping…[audio:http://wdor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/N1441.mp3|titles=Mike Barry]
In the end, the plan which would have had a bicycle lane on one side of the street & parking on the other, was never brought up for a vote.
