Dear Red Phone:
“There was a race here in Morgan Hill and it came past my house on Oak Glen Avenue. It was such a total mess as far as traffic control went. There were huge groups of runners forcing cars into the oncoming traffic lanes. Oak Glen is a very twisty, country road, narrow with double yellow lines. This is totally unacceptable. Who do I complain to so that next time this race occurs, there’s appropriate law enforcement to deal with the issues of traffic control? Any assistance would be appreciated. Thank you.”
Red Phone:
Any time you have a race the magnitude of the Morgan Hill Marathon, there always is bound to be some traffic problems. Officials estimate that more than 10,000 people were in town for the Oct. 28 race, keeping hotels and restaurants busy for the weekend. People came from as far away as Great Britain to race.
Organizers took several steps to make sure the race was as minimally invasive to residents while at the same time being safe for runners and drivers. Officials were required to notify each person along the route, which they did personally, said Greg Richards, the event director. They ran ads in the newspapers letting people know what streets were affected, and posted signs on all major streets a week ahead of time letting people know what to expect. Organizers hired Morgan Hill Police and Santa Clara County CHP officers for every corner to let cars know to proceed slowly, Richard said.
Organizers are always looking for ways to improve the race and make it even better. If you have questions or comments, you can call (408) 782-6350 or email in**@mh********.com.
