HOUGHTON - With Shelden Avenue open again, the Houghton City Council talked Monday about what signs and markings to put back up.

Police Chief John Donnelly said 15-minute spaces in front of businesses would be restored, as well as the handicapped parking spaces.

All signs required by the Michigan Department of Transportation, such as speed limit signs, have already been put up. City Manager Scott MacInnes held up a parking sign that would be placed throughout the downtown, notifying people of one-hour parking for customers only and night parking ban hours of 2 to 7 a.m.

"Our goal is to get the streets clear so they can plow them," Donnelly said. "We work with it as it goes."

Donnelly said the spacing of parking places without lines had been a mixed bag; some people parked normally, while others left no space or left three-quarter spaces that dared others to squeeze in.

As for the turnover rate, it had been "terrible," Donnelly said. The number of vacant spaces has been well below the target rate of 20 percent, he said.

Councilman Eric Peterson said he has enjoyed the "clean and uncluttered" look of downtown.

"We just need to be cautious about what we do to preserve that look," he said.

City Manager Scott MacInnes said there would be two sign poles per block.

"All optional signs should be tied together somehow, and we should look at how we're going to do that," he said.

The day of the switch back to normal traffic routes was "a long day of frustration," Donnelly said. But while there were several close calls, there were no traffic accidents on Montezuma Avenue after the switch from two-way to one-way.

The final touches are being put on the project, said Director of Public Works Mark Zenner, including the reinstallation of a handrail on Huron Street. The final section of sidewalk is by the Helman Transportation Center.

Councilwoman Rachel Lankton said she was happy to see Franklin Square restored so soon after the project.

In other action, the council:

discussed a new electronic water bill option. Residents can provide an account number or address by e-mailing waterbills@cityofhoughton.com.

heard an update from Zenner. Cold patching will take place on College Avenue during the day within the next two weeks. Temporary signals will be put in place, while traffic will be reduced to one line. There will hopefully be a resurfacing project next year, he said.

heard an update from Donnelly. He said there had been about 1,200 children on Shelden Avenue for the Treat Street event.

"We were not prepared for 2,000 people to come through here," he said. "We did the best that we could."

approved $485,608.73 in payment for the streetscape project.

approved a resolution concurring with the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Regional Commission's Annual Community Economic Development Strategy Report.

Garrett Neese can be reached at gneese @mininggazette.com.