I haven't been heading out of town to the north very much because of the construction on Madison Street. Some time between last Wednesday when I went out that way and this Tuesday when I got back from our little getaway the new speed limit signs went up.
The rationale for the 45 mph zone was to slow traffic on the hill and to make it safer for turning vehicles along that stretch. There has been a problem with some drivers ignoring the 35 mph limit at the bottom of the hill and passing inappropriately before the top of the hill or passing turning cars on the right going up the hill.
The letter in the Review which asked for the reduced limit to the top of the hill said that a new, lower limit woiuld make the hill safer and traffic flow smoother.
Yesterday was the first time that I went to work that way. I made the mistake of obeying the limit. The young woman in the SUV didn't even put down her phone while she passed me as soon as the solid yellow line started. She didn't look overly concerned about the school bus coming over the hill in the lane she was using.
If the new speed zone is going to work the DOT needs to put some signage or flags up to call attention to it. Then the County and the City need to set up some concentrated enforcement to send the message home to the Earnhardt wannabes headed for the big city. There is nothing like a ticket-blizzard to make a message clear.
3 comments:
Hehe - thanks for comfirming my sanity! I was just wondering the other day -- when did that become 45mph?? You are right -- until the new limit becomes obvious with better signage (and the normal orange flags to get your attention for the first six months) many will not notice.
Kind of like the new "left turn lane" at 14 and M -- Anyone who follows the signage and uses the right lane to go straight will most certainly be sideswiped by everyone else who didn't notice the sign!
Kind of like the new "left turn lane" at 14 and M -- Anyone who follows the signage and uses the right lane to go straight will most certainly be sideswiped by everyone else who didn't notice the sign!
Wait, they put a sign up finally? Are there lines now too? or... I've been waiting for them to do that for so long.
There are lines but no arrows on the pavement, so most people are using the left turn lane to go straight. If you want an obscene hand gesture thrown your way -- go to that intersection and obey the law.
Post a Comment