City will remove no U-turn sign to help restaurant
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OTHER BUSINESS
The city council also approved an emergency vote calling a council election for May 8.
Positions up for election this year include mayor, Super District 5 and Super District 6. Filing begins Monday.
A recently installed median on Laurent Street a Victoria restaurant owner said is hurting his business won't be modified, despite his request to do so.
But the city council did agree Tuesday to remove a no U-turn sign on the north end of the median. Council members said that will make it easier for drivers to get to the Wienerschnitzel at Laurent and Rio Grande streets.
"We're content," Steven Masek, part owner of the Wienerschnitzel, said after the meeting.
He said the action will help restore 8 percent of the business the fast-food restaurant lost after the median and sign were installed. But he said the median is still causing him to lose 20-percent of his business.
The median was built about a year ago as part of the project to rebuild Laurent Street between the Houston Highway and Airline Road. The median stretches between the Houston Highway and Nueces Street.
The entrance to the business is on Laurent and the exit is on the Houston Highway.
Masek had asked the city to remove enough of the median so that at least northbound traffic on Laurent could turn into his business. He offered to pay the $10,000 or $15,000 he estimated it would cost to make the change.
Public Works Director Lynn Short said Monday the median is designed to promote traffic safety.
It intentionally prevents people leaving the convenience store across the street and crossing two travel lanes to go south on Laurent.
He said it also prevents traffic behind a northbound car on Laurent trying to turn into Wienerschnitzel from backing up into the Houston Highway. That is the third busiest intersection in the city.
Councilman Paul Polasek said taking down the sign is the easiest and least expensive option for now.
"Any changes we make would go against the engineers' recommendation," he said. "We'll let the drivers make that decision."
Councilman David Hagan said it's the least expensive for Masek as well as the city. "I think it's pro business."
Councilwoman Denise Rangel said she doesn't think allowing U-turns at the north end of the median will be a problem. After apologizing to Police Chief Bruce Ure, she admitted to making an illegal U-turn to see how difficult it was.
"It was very easy," she said. "I did it very carefully and didn't have any problems."
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The cheapest solution to the problem is to leave the No U Turn signs where they are and not enforce them. A good example of this would be Glascow street. I was told by VPD that Glascow did not have any No U Turn signs on it and nothing could be done about the U Turns occuring on that street.
February 3, 2010 at 4:06 p.m.What's with the mediam being place around the city. More of nusiance, if anything. I see alot of them of been damage (and causing) by vehicles running into them, especially around the Walmart area. Get rid of them and save the city some money.
February 3, 2010 at 12:16 p.m.Apologizing for making a U-turn? That's weak! I hope it was said in jest. In any case, I've made a few U-turns there myself sans apology.
February 3, 2010 at 10:36 a.m."He said the action will help restore 8 percent of the business the fast-food restaurant lost after the median and sign were installed. But he said the median is still causing him to lose 20-percent of his business."
I am curious how he came up with these precise numbers and the assurance that it was the factor of the "no-u-turn" that made his business decline. Doesn't the lousy economy play any role? The lousy weather, where people can't sit outside and eat their lunch hurts business, also.
Seems like the numbers were questionable, as far as the cause in the downturn in his business.
February 3, 2010 at 9:37 a.m.Well, if drivers have such a need to get a hotdog and can't figure out how to safely make a u-turn, than we have just increased the average IQ score in our area.
If you're in dire need of a hotdog, just turn left on Houston Highway, go around the block and then enter the parking lot.
February 3, 2010 at 9:32 a.m.I see rear-end accidents in the future, and traffic backing up into the intersection during lunch.
February 3, 2010 at 4:43 a.m.There will be an accident within the first year at this location. Keep your eyes open in this area from now on. It will be a bad traffic spot. With all the crazy drivers in Victoria someone will make the mistake of trying to make a u-turn in heavy traffic. Mark my words!
So can drivers still be ticketed for u-turns on this road?
February 2, 2010 at 11:26 p.m.Boy, that should do the trick! I know all the idiots doing u-turns on Navarro has really provided for some safer driving.
February 2, 2010 at 10:30 p.m.Yessssss!(fist pump)- That chili dogg diet works wonders!!!
February 2, 2010 at 9:43 p.m.Rangel is killin me!
February 2, 2010 at 8:36 p.m.