Fast and I’m furious
I like the cushion bumps downtown, but it doesn’t seem to do any good. Why didn’t they install more of them? Also in regards to speeding, can’t something be done with the speeding on East Main Avenue and Serene Drive. Because of the new housing, speeding is getting bad and dangerous. We can hardly back out of our drive way without someone coming into Serene Drive fast and almost hitting us. What can be done? When the two schools are in session, the traffic is very heavy and the speeding is crazy. We’ve seen accidents and nothing seems to be getting better.
Initially, plans were to install the “traffic calming devices” on First and Third streets, but the Morgan Hill City Council opted to only put them on Third Street because traffic studies showed that is where people were driving the fastest through downtown. Mayor Dennis Kennedy tried to set aside money to install more, but failed to get support from the council. Councilman Greg Sellers has said he wants to see less costly efforts undertaken to slow traffic in the downtown.
Police Chief Bruce Cumming said the best thing to do about speeders is to report them. He said if the police receive frequent reports of speeders, his officers can be deployed to watch that area closer. There are two schools in the area: El Toro Elementary and Live Oak High School. When children are present in a school zone, the speed limit is 25 miles per hour. When school starts again August 29, the police will be out in full force to enforce the limits in Operation Safe Schools. The police can be reached at 779-2101 or call the traffic hotline at 776-0460 and leave a message.
Where do I turn?
What’s with the orange traffic poles on Butterfield at Jarvis? I work out a gym in the area and on the way there I can quickly turn onto Jarvis, but when I come home the poles won’t let me make a left-hand turn back onto Butterfield. I don’t see any reason why they need to prevent people from turning left. It’s a real pain to have drive up the road and make U-turn when there is absolutely no cars on the road in the evenings. Were these poles part of road construction and the city just forgot they were there? I don’t get it.
According to deputy director of public works Mori Struve, there have been numerous accidents in that intersection. As a result, the city put up the “channelizers” to prevent people from making a left turn from Jarvis or Digital drives. The channelizers are temporary and a traffic signal will eventually be installed as a part of a development project.
The Red Phone sounds off Saturday in The Times.
We invite you to call us 24/7 to ask questions, report a complaint, give us a tip, offer an amusing tale of the short variety or just want people to know about something to do with Morgan Hill and the surrounding territory. We’ll check it out and have the answer in an upcoming column.
Leave us a message on the Red Phone at 779-4106, x206 or check out www.morganhilltimes.com and click on the Red Phone icon or e-mail re******@mo*************.com We won’t print your name or share it with others.
