UPDATE 4/29/23

Tom let us know the results of talking with the city: “Bottom line – none of the changes that we had requested can be accommodated.”  

Tom said there could still be a chance to look into how we could use our historic designation, but he’ll leave it to others to pursue that.

The full email thread can be read here.

                      —————————————————————————–

In March, the city replaced the street signs and one-way arrows in Woodsshire and
moved some signs to new locations. Resident Tom Piccini volunteered to find out why.

According to LTU (Lincoln Transportation and Utilities), the new signage was required to
conform with federal regulations, and noncompliance can threaten federal funds. The lettering
on the new signs is larger and uses upper- and lower-case letters, which are more easily read.
Signs are being replaced all over the city—about 55,000 of them.

The new directional arrows at the circles, which replaced “KEEP RIGHT” signs, are a
regulation size for roundabouts, and address liability issues for the city, Tom was told.

The street signs in the circles were moved from the central light post to a metal pole at
the curbside, where engineers thought they could more easily be seen. Signs on light posts at
Witham and West Pershing, and South Pershing and Woodsshire Parkway, were moved to
metal poles across the street. Tom said he was told those moves probably were necessary
because the new larger street signs, if left on the light posts, would hang over the curb, where
tall trucks might hit them.

All the new signage poles are a “breakaway” safety style—they’re knocked down when
hit by a car. And they’re easily replaced by bolting in a new pole at ground level.

Because Woodsshire is a registered historic neighborhood where the original look and
feel of the surroundings are important, Tom asked if LTU would reconsider the placement of
the street signs moved from the light posts. City engineers agreed to look at them again, and
it’s possible the signs could be returned to their former positions in all the circles except at
Kings Highway and East Pershing. In that circle, the plantings obscure the central post. Even if
the signs are not returned to the light posts, the brackets could be, so the neighborhood could
continue to hang seasonal decorations in the circles.

The arrow signs at the circles will not be changed.

Tom said he hopes for an answer sometime in April. Stay tuned!