Loomis to put up 4-way stop sign at Taylor Road/Walnut Street intersection

After two recent accidents at the corner, the Loomis Town Council voted Tuesday to put a four-way stop sign on Taylor Road at Walnut Street. The two recent accidents have been in the last three months and there has been a total of four accidents in a year, officials said. "Left unaddressed, there is no reason to believe this trend won't continue," said Loomis town engineer Merrill Buck. The intersection has 10,000 cars a day, according to Buck. "It is a huge safety issue," said Loomis Mayor Jeff Duncan. "I know I've tried every which way to get around without using that intersection." According to a staff report, significant left-turning conflict is from Walnut Street turning northbound on Taylor Road during peak traffic hours. Cars on Taylor Road stack up in the northbound direction as they wait for the signal at Horseshoe Bar Road. Meanwhile, cars are accelerating southbound after leaving the intersection. Entering the intersection from Walnut Street while waiting for a gap to open puts vehicles at risk of being hit by faster-moving southbound traffic. Buck added that there is a high potential for car/pedestrian conflicts because the ACE Hardware Store operates on both sides of Taylor Road and workers must often cross the street on foot. Loomis Ace Hardware owner Greg Brening said the store opened the ACE Backyard addition 10 months ago. "What we've seen is horrifying. We've seen dozens of near crashes," said Brening. "It is a very dangerous intersection, probably the worst in town." Vehicles parallel parking on Taylor Road have a similar problem exiting their parking spots. They need to wait for a gap before leaving, said Buck. Relying on a mirror or trying to look over a shoulder with adjacent, high-speed traffic is difficult, he said. Meanwhile, the 19-foot setback of the Walnut Street crosswalk creates a sight-distance problem or potential pedestrian conflict, said Buck. The crosswalks can't be easily moved, as they are built with decorative brick and align with curb ramps. An all-way stop sign will resolve the sight distance problem and make it safer for pedestrians, officials said. Because Taylor Road is a major artery, which would typically have a signal instead of a stop sign, staff recommended that permanent red reflective tape be applied to the pole. It costs roughly $200,000 for a preferred street light, said Buck. The cost for installing an all-way stop-controlled intersection at the location is estimated at roughly $5,000, officials said. Funding for these improvements can be made from the town transportation funds identified in the Loomis Public Works Budget. The council voted 5-0 for the stop sign with flashing red lights around the sign. Mini-grants In other business, Loomis Town Council voted to delegate the Community Mini-grant program authority to town staff. Various local agencies come before the Town Council each year requesting funding for programs and projects. Some council members said they were being held "hostage." If they didn't vote for funding a particular organization, they were perceived as against them, officials said. To avoid that perception and be equitable, the mini-grant program was created. Each year, a certain amount of funding ($16,000 this year) is budgeted. Originally, a list of applicants was brought before the council for approval. Some council members said that the procedure still put undue pressure on them or gave the impression of impropriety. To streamline the process and ensure that there is no appearance of impropriety, staff recommended the entire selection process be dedicated to staff. The Town Council would still approve the total amount each year, but a staff committee would collect the applications and make selections. Past mini-grant winners include The Senior L.I.F.E. Center, The Cowpoke Fall Gathering, Loomis Basin Chamber of Commerce, McLaughlin Theater Company, Placer County Law Enforcement Chaplaincy, Placer County Sheriff Search & Rescue, BBZ and Blues, Center For Hope, Del Oro Band Spectacular and Del Oro Sober Grad Night. In other actions In other actions, Loomis Town Council members held a moment of silence at the beginning of Tuesday's meeting for Loomis Public Works employee Kristofer Tibbits, who died last week. "He was only 33 and left behind his young family, including his newborn son, Kristofer Jr.," said Mayor Jeff Duncan. A Gofundme account has been created to help the family. "If you are able, please consider donating," Duncan added. The council also began the meeting by honoring local Eagle Scout Justin Lowery, who restored the old Loomis Firehouse bell stored in the fire department's attic for 30 years. Mayor Duncan presented the community volunteer with a city plaque. Lowery was also honored with a County Certificate of Recognition from District 3 Placer County Supervisor Jim Holmes at the Sept. 14 meeting. Loomis Town Manager Sean Rabe also reported that Loomis Town Library and Community Learning Center closed escrow. "We're now officially proud owners of our own Town Library," said Rabe, amid applause. "Much thanks to all our Friends of the LIbrary folks." Costco ruling In other Loomis business news, the town of Loomis announced on Facebook last week that it received the ruling on two remaining Costco lawsuits. For a year, Loomis has been involved in three lawsuits about the Costco project over challenges to transportation infrastructure that would potentially be caused by a "flawed site design." The lawsuits stemmed from Brace Taylor LLC, Citizens for Responsible Growth and the city of Rocklin. Rocklin representatives have argued that the Costco site, proposed for the southeast corner of Brace Road and Sierra College Boulevard, has only one entry and exit driveway and would cause a log jam of traffic at the Rocklin-Loomis border. The judge determined that the town complied with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and state and planning zoning laws and no portion of the Environmental Impact Report needs to be revised. "This means the town's traffic study was upheld by the Court, and no additional traffic work is required," the statement said. The court disagreed with the town's interpretation of its zoning code to allow parking on the residentially-zoned parcels that Costco owns, according to the report. "However, the Town believes the inconsistency the court identified can be easily addressed, and the project does not need to be substantially delayed," said Rabe.