Gayfer Avenue Speeding Problem Solved?

Fairhope, Alabama 

 

Gayfer Avenue speeding.

 

"DRIVER FEEDBACK" SIGNS COMING

After a group of irate citizens living on Gayfer Avenue west of Greeno Road brought in a neighborhood petition to re-install a stop sign at the Blue Island intersection, the city's Traffic/Street Committee voted unanimously to install the remaining two driver feedback signs along there instead. 

Police chief Hollinghead was the only committee member who was "ok" with re-installing the stop sign, but other members did not think one was warranted there by data collected some time ago ... and because Gayfer is considered a "major collector" street where stop signs are not recommended.

Councilman Burrell: "... every expert says ... do not use stop signs to ... control speeding ... let's try something else first." 

Speed bumps may be a possibility there too at some point, but normally are not used on major streets either, according to public works director Johnson.

Residents living there insisted speeding is happening there, 50-60 mph, and worried "someone was going to get hurt" -- perhaps young children who walk along the route.

Feedback sign on N. Section Street.

Four driver feedback signs were purchased about a year ago using grant money -- and two were already installed on nearby Section Street, north and south of town.

No timeline was given for installing the signs: electric department assistance will be needed Hollinghead said.

 

October Traffic Committee meeting.

NEIGHBORHOOD SPEED WATCH PROGRAM POSSIBLE?

After the meeting the Times asked about the possibility of implementing a neighborhood speed watch program under the federal safe routes to school program.

Similar to the familiar neighborhood crime watch, it would empower citizens to help police their own neighborhoods (click).

Signs like the one below are installed in neighborhoods with speeding problems.

Councilman Burrell told the Times he would look into the possibility of implementing the program here if people in the neighborhood wanted it.

Program description: "Neighborhood Speed Watch programs, a traffic-related variation of Neighborhood Watch or Crime Watch, encourage citizens to take an active role in changing driver behavior on their neighborhood streets by helping raise public awareness and educate drivers about the negative impact of speeding. In these programs, residents record speed data in their neighborhood using radar units borrowed from a city or county law enforcement agency. Residents record the speed and license plate information of speeding motor vehicles. This information along with a letter is sent to the owner of the vehicle informing them of the observed violation and encouraging them or other drivers of their vehicle to drive at or below the posted speed limit. This type of awareness encourages some speeding motorists to slow down. Motorists also learn that residents will not tolerate speeding in their neighborhoods."