Battle Floor Metropolis Council members had some alternative phrases Monday for the Washington State Division of Transportation, whose proposed pace restrict adjustments to state Freeway 502 weren’t as little as councilors needed after years of speed-related complaints from the town.
In flip, councilors voted on an modification to the town’s speed-regulating ordinance to set the pace limits on state Freeway 503 at 40 mph and Freeway 502 at 30 mph. The town will maintain a public listening to on the ordinance Might 5.
WSDOT spokeswoman Sarah Hannon-Nein stated the company is open to additional discussions with the town relating to these proposed adjustments.
Velocity limits on Freeway 502 decrease from 50 mph to 40 mph because it turns into West Fundamental Avenue in Battle Floor. Based mostly on a pace research and crash evaluation, the state transportation division advised decreasing the pace restrict on West Fundamental Avenue to 30 mph from Albertsons to the intersection with Freeway 503, which is 55 mph.
Councilors had been disillusioned WSDOT didn’t discover motive to decrease the pace limits elsewhere within the metropolis.
“Fourteen years, we went to (WSDOT) and tried to get them to work with us. And this is the best they come up with?” Deputy Mayor Shane Bowman stated. “I think we just need to tell them, ‘This is what our speed limits are in town. And if you have a problem with it, two of the guys that work for you can take down the signs. … You can’t mow the lawn, so why would you ever come out and take down the signs?’ ”
Metropolis spokeswoman Alisha Smith advised The Columbian metropolis employees will seek the advice of with authorized counsel to make sure that all procedures are adopted, and necessities are met earlier than any adjustments can happen.
Bowman identified WSDOT set pace limits in close by {Dollars} Nook, which has little or no residential improvement, at 35 mph.
“Like that’s insane to me, that these idiots are freaking running the show. … There’s no one doing 40 mph on that road, except for me. … If it’s good enough for Dollars Corner, it should be good enough for Battle Ground.”
Though WSDOT is chargeable for setting the pace limits on each Freeway 502 and Freeway 503, Battle Floor can put ahead an ordinance to vary pace limits inside the metropolis. Nevertheless, the ordinance must be authorised by the state secretary of transportation.
“That would be where our possible road block is,” Public Works Director Mark Herceg stated.
Battle Floor Police Chief Dennis Flynn stated the info offered by WSDOT exhibits a significant issue.
“It’s mind-boggling why it’s 50 mph in some of these areas that now have residential,” he stated.
Implementing decrease pace limits would require a considerate strategy, analyzing the place the most important violations happen and the place officers can take advantage of distinction.
“We have some very poor drivers about this area,” he stated.
Councilors debated asking WSDOT for a extra complete pace research however opted in favor of shifting ahead with an ordinance as a substitute. There was at the least one deadly crash and two pedestrian fatalities alongside Freeway 502 in Battle Floor during the last 5 years. On March 19, a girl died after a two-vehicle crash close to Fundamental Avenue.
“Bottom line, I think we all feel strongly that we need to make a change sooner rather than later,” Councilor Jeanie Kuypers stated. “I hate to see this to go back and forth when lives are at stake.”
