In a well-intentioned effort to improve traffic safety, local
government officials have given the green light to the installation
of traffic signals at three intersections along Union Road.
However, with current traffic patterns, we believe three is not
such a charm.
In a well-intentioned effort to improve traffic safety, local government officials have given the green light to the installation of traffic signals at three intersections along Union Road. However, with current traffic patterns, we believe three is not such a charm.
In late February, the county Board of Supervisors approved the installation of signals for the Union Road and San Benito Street intersection and for another only about one-half mile east at Union and Southside roads. And on Monday night, the Hollister City Council approved a traffic signal for the Union Road and Airline Highway intersection, just a stone’s throw up a hill from Union and Southside.
It’s easy to see why these decisions were made. More traffic is traveling our roadways, therefore safety measures such as stop signs and signals are needed.
The county was in a position to have the signals installed at no cost. The Measure A Authority authorized money toward improvements at Union Road and San Benito Street with the understanding that any cost overruns would be paid through the local Traffic Impact Fee account.
Also, a traffic signal at this intersection has been badly needed, since it’s the terminus of Hollister’s main street and is just south of San Benito High School.
For the Union-Southside installation, the county again was in a win-win situation with funding coming from traffic impact fees that were approved in last year’s budget.
On the city side, Council – backed by a traffic study that rated the Union Road and Airline Highway intersection as one of the city’s most dangerous in regards to collisions – made the correct decision, also. The intersection is the central crossing for motorists entering and leaving the commercial districts, bypassing the business districts and entering and exiting some of the city’s largest residential developments.
However, these three projects are a lesson in poor communication between the two governmental bodies and will only result in poor traffic flow because the three signals are situated oh-so-close to each other.
The city has been planning and saving for years to have the signal installed at Union and Airline, and the county has known for at least a year about the project at Union and San Benito.
Also, Union Road’s primary function is as a bypass for motorists to circumvent Hollister’s business districts and to allow for easier east-west flow of traffic.
Had the two agencies discussed their plans, they might have worked out projects that would have created a smooth flow of traffic instead of one that will only cause stop-and-go traffic and more motorist frustration.
