The busy rumbling of commuter motor traffic on the Monterey Road thoroughfare is not compatible with the downtown Morgan Hill outdoor life—according to city officials and business owners—and the police department is taking action.
Last week, the Morgan Hill Police Department announced that it would increase traffic enforcement in the city’s downtown in an effort to reduce violations and complaints. The MHPD traffic team and patrol officers have begun implementing “proactive traffic enforcement” during peak commute hours, aiming to reduce noise concerns, raise driver awareness and improve pedestrian safety.
Some of these efforts are intentionally conspicuous. MHPD Traffic Officer Sam Huezo has been seen on recent afternoons standing next to his patrol motorcycle, parked in the Monterey Road median at Third Street—plainly visible to approaching motorists and in position to quickly take off in pursuit of the next suspected traffic violator.
MHPD did not have annual traffic enforcement and accident statistics available at press time. But Sgt. Bill Norman said the increased downtown enforcement is in response to increasing calls for service as well as “citizen complaints and traffic hotline reports.” Most of the complaints are related to pedestrian and bicycle violations and vehicle noise, he said.
The downtown traffic concerns and complaints have increased with the proliferation of outdoor dining facilities on Monterey Road’s sidewalks and curbside areas since the Covid-19 pandemic severely limited indoor activities a year ago.
Frank Leal, owner of MOHI restaurant and the Granada Theater, has been a vocal proponent of more police presence downtown to deal with traffic enforcement. His concerns are related to both safety and comfort for the outdoor diners and pedestrians. Vehicles are often seen and heard revving their engines and speeding excessively, with the occasional motorcycle riding wheelies along the downtown strip.
“What we’ve done is build a grandstand on the side of the road for these guys to show off,” Leal said. “Now it’s something we need to address. At the end of the day, it’s about public safety and consumer experience.”
He added that after just a little more than a week, the increased police presence—which includes uniformed officers on foot—“feels right.”
“This is a whole new post-Covid world. We’re going to be spending a lot of time outside,” Leal added. “If (restaurants) are spending money on heaters, cool lighting and furniture to make the customer experience better, then why not slow the traffic down and make it enjoyable.”
City Council member John McKay noted that one of his and the city’s top ongoing concerns is traffic safety. But when it comes to the city’s downtown—a bustling destination with dozens of restaurants—there has long been a fear among city officials that more police might discourage patrons from visiting and spending money in the neighborhood if they think officers are watching them, McKay explained.
But there have been enough complaints from downtown business owners in the last year that McKay worries that outdoor dining customers are more frightened by loud vehicles speeding by “a few feet away” from where they’re dining.
“It has to be a balance between having enough police presence to knock the speeds down and keep the sound level down, versus are we going to scare away our customers,” McKay said.
Leal isn’t worried about the impact on business.
“That’s a risk I’m willing to take. I’d rather have less customers that are more responsible and (have) my staff and customers be safe, than have it where it’s the wild, wild west” on the roads, Leal said. He added that the city generates tax revenue from people “enjoying our downtown,” rather than from automobiles traveling through Morgan Hill.
MHPD’s increased enforcement efforts are mostly taking place during the afternoon and evening commute hours, according to a press release.
“The Morgan Hill Police Department would like to remind everyone to reduce their speed, watch for pedestrians and bicyclists, be mindful of loud stereos and modified exhausts and always wear their safety belts while driving in town,” says the press release from MHPD.
The city has implemented numerous “traffic calming” and pedestrian-friendly efforts in the downtown corridor in recent years. These include button-activated crosswalk lighting, more street lighting above major intersections, narrowing the travel lanes on Monterey Road and a traffic signal at Fourth Street.
