MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — The Manitowoc Common Council approved stop signs at 30 previously uncontrolled intersections this month, including several along Columbus Street, following months of neighbor concerns over crashes and close calls.
Watch the full broadcast here:
Columbus Street resident Kaven Lewis attended the council meeting and spoke during public comment.
"We're excited for some change finally," Lewis said.
Some council members who previously voted against the measure changed their position.
"The ones that initially voted no against it, when that topic came up, they all said I did vote no the last time, but in this instance, something is better than nothing, so we are going to vote yes," Lewis said.
"It definitely re-inspired that sense of being heard, and like your opinion does matter," Lewis said.
Last year, neighbors started a petition after a string of crashes at 12th and Columbus, saying they were tired of seeing wrecks and close calls.
For Columbus Street resident Amanda Nimmer, the vote brought a mix of excitement and relief.
"I started going, 'Oh my God,' I was so excited because we figured it was a lost cause, no one was listening, so I was almost jumping up and down with excitement that we finally got heard," Nimmer said.
One of Nimmer's biggest concerns was vehicles ending up in her yard after a crash. She hopes the new signage prevents that.
"I'm gonna feel a lot better with my dog and my kids in the yard. I'm gonna. Not feel like I have to say, let's get away from this side of the yard, stick over here," Nimmer said.
City leaders say the 30 locations were selected after reviewing crash history and safety concerns. They say the new signs will help improve safety for drivers, pedestrians, and residents in the area.
The city of Manitowoc says it will develop a plan to implement the changes over the summer and fall and will provide notice before making any changes.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
