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• Speed zone recommended for County F next to Hudson's River Crest Elementary
• Emily Klanderman crowned 2008 Miss Hudson

By a split decision, the Hudson City Council's Public Safety Committee is recommending a 35 mph speed limit on County Hwy. F in front of the new River Crest Elementary School for parts of each school day.

If the City Council and St. Croix County go along with the idea, signs with flashing amber lights will alert motorists to the 35 mph limit between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. and between 3 and 5 p.m. The current speed limit next to the school is 45 mph.

Committee member Lori Bernard moved to reduce the speed limit during just the peak traffic hours at the school and Chairman Lee Wyland supported the motion. Wyland said he would prefer extending the 35 mph limit until 6 p.m., but that Bernard's proposal was "going in the right direction."

The full City Council will ultimately decide what speed restrictions to ask the county to put on the county highway next to the school.

The city has jurisdiction over the speed limit inside the city limits, which begin at Coulee Trail. The county sets the speed limit on county highways in rural areas.

Coulee Trail, which passes by the River Crest Elementary on the north side, is a city street from County F to Tower Road. Coulee lies within the town of Troy east of Tower Road.

Angela Popenhagen of Stevens Engineers, who presented the school district's request for a lower speed limit in the vicinity of the school, reported that the Troy Town Board has already voted to reduce the limit on its stretch of Coulee Trail to 35 mph. It has been 55 mph.

Committee member Randy Morrissette II opposed the recommendation for intermittent speed reductions in the vicinity of the school. Morrissette was influenced by Police Chief Marty Jensen, who argued for a fixed 35 mph speed limit next to the school.

Jensen said keeping the speed limit consistent throughout day and week would make it easier to enforce. He said it also would be the simplest and least expensive way of improving traffic and pedestrian safety around the school.

Bernard said St. Croix County Highway Commission Tim Ramberg had told her that if the speed limit on County F next to the school was reduced to 35 mph, it should stay at 35 mph from Coulee Trail north to Interstate 94. County F becomes Carmichael Road inside the city limits.

Bernard noted that Lakeland, Minn., uses flashing amber lights to alert motorists to a reduced speed limit on Minnesota 95 next to an elementary school when classes are in session.

She said a permanent reduction to 35 mph on County F and Carmichael Road from just south of River Crest Elementary to I-94 was "a non-starter" in her opinion.

Wyland liked the idea of reducing the speed limit during just peak traffic hours at the school.

"I think we have a challenge to be creative," he said.

Tim Erickson, financial services director for the Hudson School District, said the intermittent speed reductions would be acceptable to the district.

When asked, Erickson said the school district would pay for the flashing speed limit signs.

Dennis Darnold, community development director for the city, cautioned that school hours wouldn't be the only times when activities would be taking place at River Crest Elementary. He said the Hudson Boosters would likely use the school's ball fields for evening games, and that there would be other weekend and evening activities at the school throughout the year.

Chief Jensen said that YMCA Camp St. Croix, located across the road from River Crest Elementary, also gets a lot of traffic. The County F access to the school will be directly across from the access to YMCA camp.

When the school representatives were asked about the expected peak traffic periods at River Crest Elementary, Erickson reported that the School Age Care program runs until 6 p.m.

Parents can drop off their children at the school as early as 6 a.m. and pick them up after school as late as 6 p.m.

The School Age Care program at River Crest Elementary will be provided in conjunction with Camp St. Croix. It's being offered so working parents don't have to arrange for childcare before or after school, and so children are left home alone.

According to the school district's Web site, www.hudson.k12.wi.us, the program will give children the opportunity to learn indoors and outdoors.

"The curriculum emphasizes environmental education in order to create an appreciation for nature through hands-on fun," the district Web site says.

Erickson said he expects 50 to 100 children to be enrolled in the program.

Morrissette initially moved to reduce the speed near the school to 35 mph between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. and between 3 and 6 p.m. But after hearing Chief Jensen's comments, Morrissette withdrew the motion, saying he wanted the full City Council to discuss the issue.

Jensen said that permanently reducing the speed limit on County F next the school to 35 mph and allowing it to remain at 45 mph on Carmichael Road wouldn't be unusual. There are other routes in the city with varying speed limits, he said.

He added that the city, not the county, has jurisdiction over speed limits in the city.

Bernard moved to establish a 35 mph speed limit on school days from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. and from 3 to 5 p.m. after Morrissette withdrew his motion.

Bernard said there is a lot of traffic that passes by the school and that she doesn't want to slow it down when it isn't necessary.

The City Council will take up the issue Monday night, July 7. The meeting begins at 7 p.m.