Red Phone signing in for the Saturday edition of the Free Lance.
Be sure to catch the Crimson Crusader twice a week
– every Wednesday and Saturday – in the Hollister Free Lance.
Got a question, need an answer, call the Red Phone – always
waiting, always online, always at 635-9219.
Red Phone signing in for the Saturday edition of the Free Lance. Be sure to catch the Crimson Crusader twice a week – every Wednesday and Saturday – in the Hollister Free Lance. Got a question, need an answer, call the Red Phone – always waiting, always online, always at 635-9219.
Speed Trap
“I had a question and I don’t know if Red Phone can help but San Tropez Drive between Santa Ana and Meridian is kind of a speedway in that area and there’s a lot of kids in that area and we’re getting people who are just zooming through there. I’m wondering who we can contact about getting speed bumps or children at play signs in that area to avoid a potential tragedy.”
Many local residents are concerned about speed demons tearing trough their neighborhood roads and this certainly isn’t the first request for help Red Phone’s heard. Fortunately, there is a procedure in place for people looking for traffic mitigations in their neighborhoods. However, like most things related to local government, there is no such thing as a quick fix. Considering the street is in the city, the first order of business is contacting the Public Works Department – which manages the local streets. File a complaint about the speeders and ask department head Steve Wittry to look into the problem. If they feel it’s worthy, the department will begin to gather traffic data on the road to see how many vehicles drive through the area. Then the they will determine a recommendation to give to the Hollister City Council which may or may not include the speed bumps (often considered a dirty word on public roads). The “Children at Play” signs are a more likely bet, though its doubtful a simple sign will deter speeders.
The ultimate decision lies in the hands of the Hollister City Council.
In the meantime, call the Hollister Police Department and let them know when people typically speed through the neighborhood. Does it usually happen in the morning, afternoons or evenings? Is it typically people who live in the neighborhood or are taking a shortcut? Is it usually the same few people speeding on a daily basis? Then ask the police to increase patrols in your neighborhood during that time of day. Police Chief Jeff Miller has said the police force acquired new radar units to help cops catch speeders. Sometimes a ticket or two does more than all the signs in the world.
The Public Works Department can be reached at 636-4340 and the Hollister Police Department is available at 636-4330.
Of course bending the ear of your city councilman never hurts either. San Tropez Drive is in District 4 represented by Doug Emerson. Call him at 637-8399 or e-mail [email protected].
