Temporary Sharon Avenue Stoplights Will Be Removed – Houghton City Council Wrap

With the College Avenue construction detour ending Friday, the Houghton City Council decided the fate of the temporary traffic signals at Sharon Avenue at its meeting last night.

The city has received some positive comments about the lights, and had looked into the possibility of retaining them. To meet traffic flow standards, though, changes would need to be made to the road infrastructure. The cost would be significant. Officials also feel that the four-way stops increase safety along the busy roadway by keeping traffic speeds low.

The intersections at Gundlach Road and Military Road will revert to four-way stops, and the lights will be replaced with caution flashers.

In other news from last night’s meeting…
• The council charged the planning commission with working on studying potential height limitations in the business and industrial zones of the city, specifically around the downtown area.
• The city plans to add pay-to-dock kiosks along the city’s waterfront at strategic spots. Since the completion of the pier, the city is looking for ways to generate revenue along the canal. One such way will be to charge boats docking overnight in the city and for utility use. Officials will look into what options are available for a payment system.
• Some rules for camping and park use have been clarified. Feeding birds will be prohibited, and snowmobiles will be required to stay on designated trails and parking lot areas.