The atmosphere was somewhat different this month when three residents showed up at a council meeting in support of the latest traffic-calming proposal. The difference this time was that residents felt communication was much improved.

"The residents really took the lead this time," said Woodland Avenue resident Bill Kraus, referring to subsequent neighborhood discussions headed up by the residents.

In December, the town council decided to delay voting on traffic-calming plans for the Wraight/Woodland avenues area after a dozen or so mobile home park residents turned out to address the fact that the town had not solicited their input until the final stages of the planning process. The council at the time directed town staff to continue working with residents.

Kraus thanked council members "because they actually took a process that had been incomplete and stopped it and forced it back into the neighborhood review process. It took a lot of courage. In doing so, town staff understood that the council wanted community involvement," he said.

After the Dec. 16 council meeting, neighborhood residents met three times. They came up with a strategy to ensure effective communication: Four leaders were selected to represent their streets and share their traffic concerns.

"We didn't have good communication from the start. That's why everyone is so happy now. Now everyone feels they were a part of the process," said Bird Avenue resident Brian Kulman.

According to Kulman, 42 people in the 55-home neighborhood signed a poll indicating their support of the new plans. The figure does not reflect the dozen residences that weren't polled because the homeowners weren't available when the polling took place, he said.

As a result of these additional meetings, residents decided they wanted to try out two traffic-calming plans, both similar to the proposal presented in December. The council approved this recommendation, and plans are set to move forward.

The two proposed plans will be tried out for two months each. The town will then poll residents and look for a supermajority vote to determine which plan is preferred.

The first plan the town will test involves four bulb-outs along Wraight Avenue, a "No Left Turn" sign at 404 University Ave., a bulb-out at the southern end of Woodland Avenue and a center median at the Wraight/Highway 9 intersection. This plan will allow two-way traffic on Wraight and Woodland.

The second plan includes closing off half the road at the southern ends of Wraight and Woodland avenues to allow two-way traffic inside the streets but deny access onto the streets from Highway 9. The plan will also include a "No Left Turn" sign at 404 University Ave. and a center median at Wraight Avenue and Highway 9. This plan will prohibit northbound traffic on Wraight and Woodland avenues.

The total estimated cost of both plans is $10,000.

After all is said and done, Kulman gave credit to the town's parks and public works department.

"Parks and public works had a really difficult job. They had to get everyone together in a short time. It was a nearly impossible task," he said.

"It's a sad part of their job that they have to reeducate the citizenry each time, but it's a different neighborhood" each time, Kraus said.

Parks and Public Works Director John Curtis said the planning process is "almost designed to be slow" to allow time for all affected parties to give their input.

"I think the neighbors learned, too, that it's good for them to talk to people on the other side" of the neighborhood, Curtis said.