DEPOT STREET REVISITED
“I apologize for harping on Depot Street, but I am once again flummoxed by how this street was recently updated. Besides the wild-lane markings, I now realize I need sunglasses to drive down that street at night. In the age of energy conservation, why the city found it necessary to put carriage lights every 30 feet down both sides of the street is beyond me. It screams of excess and waste. With such a narrow street, removing two-thirds of these lights would still offer plenty of safety and light and save tax dollars from being spent on wasted electricity.”
RED PHONE
At first inspection it may seem that there are too many carriage lights on Depot Street, but the lights are spaced exactly the same distance as those along Monterey Road. The difference seems to be the amount of light these new additions are putting out. Once again, we contacted Mori Struve, deputy director of public works and operations for an explanation. Struve has received complaints from residents that the lighting on Monterey Road is actually insufficient. This is due to the amber lexan globes covering the streetlight bulbs. This is not due to them being dirty, but a normal result of age. The Public Works Department is considering replacing these globes in the downtown area.
Another reason why Depot Street appears so bright, Struve explained, is that the street is not yet architecturally built up and quite vacant in most areas and the lights accentuate the stark area.
STILL WAITING FOR THE TRAFFIC LIGHT
“There has been talk about plans to change the traffic light at the intersection of Monterey Road and E. Main Avenue to include a directional arrow. I am wondering if this is true and when we might expect to see the new signal in place?”
RED PHONE
The Red Phone addressed this subject in the Oct. 13 Morgan Hill Times and has now followed up for our caller.
The city plans to split the phase of the traffic light at this busy intersection, meaning a dedicated left turn arrow will be installed for drivers on E. Main Avenue approaching from either direction and turning onto Monterey Road.
Mori Struve, deputy director of public works and operations, informs the Red Phone that bids go out for this work to potential contractors at the end of the month, with a target completion date between July and September. We’ll all be happy to see this change come to downtown.
Let’s all work together to keep our fair community on its toes. You call in your concerns and we’ll hunt down the answers. The Red Phone is here to help. Contact us at (408) 779-4106, ext. 206, or e-mail re******@*************es.com. Remember to leave a name and phone number when you call or e-mail. The Red Phone will not publish this information and will only use it for verification purposes.
