It appears that neighborhoods in Greensboro are going to start seeing speed bumps, speed humps, chicanes, intersection roundabouts and other “traffic calming” devices being installed.
At least the consensus on the City Council at the Thursday, Aug. 24 work session appeared to be in favor of taking action to slow traffic through neighborhoods by using traffic calming devices.
At the work session, Greensboro Department of Transportation (GDOT) Director Hanna Cockburn gave a presentation on ways to reduce traffic accidents and slow traffic in Greensboro. Cockburn said that the cost of implementing the program recommended by GDOT with input from the Greensboro Police Department and the Greensboro Fire Department would cost $1.7 million a year.
Mayor Nancy Vaughan said, “I’m happy we are finally talking about speed bumps, humps, cushions or whatever you want to call them because for years we’ve been told that we can’t do them and obviously we can and I think we need to look at where we can deploy them. While they are difficult decisions I would certainly support delaying some projects, but not street resurfacing.”
Cockburn also talked about implementing a redlight camera program.
Councilmember Yvonne Johnson said, “The redlight camera program, didn’t we have that at one time and didn’t we have to give the money to the department of education? Did anything change?
Cockburn said, “Nope.”
Councilmember Sharon Hightower said, “Yea, but I’m all for the redlight camera program anyway. It doesn’t matter to me at this point if we have to give the schools the money.”
The issue that cities in North Carolina have had with red light camera programs, is that they are expensive to operate. The fines would cover the cost of the operation of the program, but according to the North Carolina State Constitution, fines and penalties collected by local governments must be awarded to the public schools.
High Point tried to get around the state constitution by making running a red light a civil not a criminal offence and the courts ruled that the fines collected still had to go to the schools.
According to Vaughan, Greensboro is still exploring a way to implement red light cameras that “would not run afoul of the state constitution.”
If it costs $1.7 million per year, that is more than enough to cover the alleged (and incompetently calculated) savings anticipated from the ridiculous new leaf collection program. So, I would propose that the Council cancel all these humps, bumps and cushions and instead just preserve the existing leaf collection program (although under competent management, so that the crews can make more frequent pickups, as the expensive and inadequate new substitute program supposes can be done with 95-gallon carts). Besides, there should be plenty of money budgeted in the extra millions of dollars of additional City taxes just imposed to cover all existing programs before we add humps, bumps and cushions (not to mention bike lanes) to the roads most taxpayers would be happy to see just paved and maintained on a regular basis…
1.7 million. More waste from this city council and Johnson and Hightower are concerned about fines going to education. What BS!
OF COURSE this universally left wing city council wants to prosecute the War on the Private Automobile! Our cars are our freedom, so the left despises and resents them. They can’t control them. The left wants to herd Americans onto buses, trams and trains, like cattle. Until they have completely prohibited the private automobile, they intend to make it as costly, regulated, time consuming, and aggravating as they can.
Notice for example how they sneak in a red light camera provision among the “Traffic Calmers”. “Traffic Calmers” are more accurately called Road Ragers, as they make you slow to a crawl, bang your head, and wreck your car’s suspension. And the National Motorists’ Association has conclusively shown that the private companies operating these “Gotcha” cameras always shorten the yellow light at the intersection, so as to entrap more “customers”.
It’s a racket – and we are the victims. But it fits right in with the goals of the political left, as they wage war on our cars and our physical freedoms.
Let’s let our councilmembers know how we feel about this assault of our freedom – and pocketbooks. Especially the rip-off red light cameras.
I shall.
Uhhh hold up a second…the Council got this one right. If people don’t obey traffic laws and endanger other citizens with reckless driving then they get what they deserve. I actually live on a road with stop signs that get ran on an hourly basis and speeders at least 15 mph over the limit on a narrow lane.
You have a touching faith in your superiors’ right and ability to determine how you should drive.
Do as I did I got 4 the first time the cameras were here, I just didn’t pay them. Was nothing that could be done the company running the program could not force anyone to pay the fine. And you are correct about the caution light timing, my former neighbor worked for the installation company in Wilmington and told me they always shortened the caution time so screw’em
So if the City can’t make money from a safety program they won’t implement it? Sounds about right for this City Council
When GSO had its previous “Red light Camera” program, the company hired to run it was shortening the yellow light time wherever the cameras were installed. This was done to generate more revenue that mostly went to the operating company. The main result was a large increase in rear end crashes as people slammed on their brakes to avoid the fines. The program was a farce, not a success. Around 2000-2002.
I understand the need to address the issue of speeding. However, it is my hope that the City Council will also consider the fact that humps, bumps and cushions will also slow down the arrival of the Fire Department, Police Department and Ambulance services in emergency situations. The installation of humps, bumps and cushions will make all of us vulnerable to the increase in wait time for vital emergency services. It just doesn’t seem right.
Karen has made a good point. The city council needs to do all it can to push for an increase in personnel at the police department so that more officers can be assigned to strict traffic enforcement. If the police department had the personnel, they could provide more saturation patrol in the residential sections.
Any incentives or projects to stop these lawbreakers should be implemented. Protect the innocent and increase the fines on the culprits who necessitate the means.
Next, let’s go after the drivers who break the sound barrier with the loud engines as they travel the streets (heard several blocks away and all hours of day and night). Most of those with more time than brains should build their own track!
You’re a sheep, NJR. Thirty years ago the speed limit on East Wendover was 55mph. Then the clamor of locals got it reduced to 45mph, and then again to 35mph. This had nothing at all to do with the engineering of the road or the judgement of traffic engineers that the road was safe for 55mph.
So, is driving at 50mph on that road now criminal? It was perfectly “safe” thirty years ago, but now we are expected to believe that it’s incredibly dangerous. What a farce speed limits are, as they represent political influence and agendas, not road safety.
PS
Everyone – but everyone – on E. Wendover blows away the stupidly low speed limit, because they know it’s ridiculous.
Sorry, that should be East Cone Boulevard, not East Wendover.
Whatever happened to good old fashioned speed traps?
I used to watch so carefully for cops as a teenager, knowing that they were everywhere. Now I can go months without seeing a single cruiser waiting to ticket. If I was still a young punk, I’d be speeding all day…
Red light cameras are terrible.
The Police Department is down over 130 officers. There have been 49 homicides so far this year. How much time do you think the GPD has to spend on speed traps?
How many police officers and radar guns can we put on the streets for $1.7 million dollars? How many dollars can be generated in fines to offset the costs? Speed bumps, round abouts, etc., can’t pay for themselves.
Speed bumps? How about something that works: Speed Cops?
Or even better, just leave us the f*%k alonge.
This just in from the UK.
The Mail on Sunday has exposed a plan by the leftist Labour Party to impose a new pay-per-mile charge on every vehicle as soon as is practical, if they win the next election. They do not intend to reduce the excise tax on petrol, which already makes British people pay twice the price we do for gasoline ( $7.20 per US Gallon). The Pay-Per-Mile charge will be on top of gas taxes.
The Left is more successful and powerful in Europe, so we can look into our future by watching what’s happening there – unless we resist.
After all their talk about “improving safety” when they introduced Red Light Cameras, when they realised they were not going to receive any money from the program they immediately shut it down.
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What does that tell you?
how do ‘chicanos’ ‘calm traffic’ ? margaritas? great idea ! salt please.
The City has implemented this program at no additional cost to taxpayers! There’s no way to approach the speed limit on most streets due to the numerous potholes.