Speed Limit May be Lowered to 40 mph on Sherwood Way

 

A feasibility and speed study recently conducted by TxDOT along Sherwood Way resulted in a pitch for a dropped speed limit in council chambers on Tuesday, where members of the council heard the results of a study previously requested by councilwoman Charlotte Farmer.

The study began at Clark St. and extended into the area past Sam’s Club, where TxDOT reported that 85 percent of the traffic is traveling at an average rate of 46-49 miles per hour. With added contributing factors along the roadway as San Angelo grows, such as safe access to business drive ways, TxDOT concluded that the speed limit should be lowered to 40 miles per hour.

“I think it’s a terrible idea,” Mayor Dwain Morrison said.

There was then some clarification on the stretch of roadway being discussed and more explanation from Farmer as to why the study was requested in the first place.

“It’s just fast moving out there, with the number of businesses, that’s where the complaints came from," Farmer said. "The owners saying their customers trying to get in and out of their parking lot areas around Blair’s Western Wear, and Rosa’s, even though there’s a stop light there, the speed is so fast, traffic trying to turn in usually gets clipped pretty good. After over a dozen (businesses) contacted me, I requested the study be done, and it’s just a way to slow it down.”  

 “I think if traffic is running at 47 mph naturally then that’s naturally the speed you ought to have," tMayor Morrison said as he disagreed. "By putting an artificial speed limit on it I don’t think you’re gonna slow anybody down. If your traffic is running at 47 miles an hour, that tells you what the speed should be, and just because you arbitrarily move it to 40 does not mean that you are going to arbitrarily lower the traffic from 47 to 40. To me you are creating a bigger hazard than what you’ve got already. If you’re trying to build a speed trap, then it’s the perfect location.”

“I don’t think we’re trying to build a speed trap,” Elizabeth Grindstaff said. “I think we are trying to calm traffic in an area that is becoming much more congested, with more curb cuts, and more activities than we had five years ago. I’m not offended by having to drive five miles less; you can change my behavior with a speed limit sign.”

“In the future, in the next five years that area is going to be way more congested than it is now,” said Councilman Rodney Fleming. “I’m in favor of it, if it helps one person avoid an accident, I’m for it.”

Greg Moss, a local resident, spoke out against lowering the speed limit, stating that it would create tailgating and lane surfing. Also, that the speed limit should actually be rounded up to better accommodate drivers. “45 is good,” he said, “but 40 is unethical.”

This is a first reading of this public ordinance, at which it was passed 4-3, and will be presented again at the next council meeting for final approval in the consent agenda. Mayor Morrison was still opposed to the idea, even to the end. “This is bad, bad business. It’s not going to do anything but create another problem out there,” he said.
 
 

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The Mayor is right! This will cause more accidents and issues, especially during the first couple of years where people aren't going to expect their speeds to suddenly change. We need to manage our traffic better, put more roads going in and out of there (Use the back way through Southland people!) Let's now be afraid to build an overpass either! Let's think long term!

JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD. Folks just naturally travel at 47 mph on Sherwood according to our mayor. Yet traffic operating at 47 mph on Sherwood is hazardous - evidenced by the accident stats, not just my opinion, but a logical conclusion based upon empirical data. Lowering the speed limit "arbitrarily" implies that there is no science behind the decision, and that's just silly. What the heck is an "artificial" speed limit Dwayne? ALL speed limit signs are artificial, numbers presumably derived from evaluation of road conditions and traffic patterns and industry research. It's YOUR job to set those speeds correctly and sell the community on the numbers. That involves enforcement and a huge blanketing campaign to educate the public, reminding them of the increased volume, the recent accidents, and the need to allow access/egress without the entering traffic stacking up in parking lots and on side streets, without rear end pile ups behind turning traffic. Folks should not feel the necessity of making risky moves because there is a line of traffic behind them. Allow the "natural" speed to continue and you are simply encouraging that mad notion that the Road Ragers have, that whatever the sign says, you should be able to peg your needle on that number and those other drivers are just impeding your natural mayor given right to blow on through. Unless you have a billion or so to devote to widening Sherwood to make turn lanes and access lanes for each parking lot and side street . . . right, I didn't think so. We also have the issue of increased numbers of folks who are fresh to the area or just here for the shopping. It is similar to the problem inherent to tourist Meccas. Not being 100% certain of which side of the street you will find your destination, not being 100% certain of the location of the turn or how far up the road it will be, not even knowing the name of your destination, just knowing that there's gotta be one of those SOMEwhere along here, those are huge factors. We want the revenues and we do not want to be known as the city where folks only go to when they have no other choice. I already do 90% of my non-food shopping on line. Speed reduction is so absolutely obvious. Your faulty or perhaps uninformed logic will from this point forward make each of your opinions/decisions open to close scrutiny. This old CDL driver welcomes the 40 mph signage.

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Wow. We have a local politician spending tax dollars to conduct a study on traffic issues on Sherwood. Any one who drives in that area (or anywhere else here) knows the traffic is terrible. We also have a mayor who has given up trying to control the traffic and thinks letting the public decide the proper speed limit. If there are people speeding raise the limit instead of enforcing it.. If that's the case, get rid of the traffic lights too. Most drivers do not observe them in this town either. I have a revolutionary idea. Instead of wasting money and resources on changing the law, try enforcing it. Pull all of the officers out of the building on Chadbourne and fill their trunk with citation forms. It would work. TxDOT lowered the limit on 67 between San Angelo and Barnhart by 5 MPH and no one slowed down. Then they made a hard push and started pilling people over.
People started observing the posted limit. Unfortunately, the enforcement pretty much stopped and traffic is back to the same pace it was before the limit change. New signs with a smaller number will not fix the traffic issues in this town.

"Pull all of the officers out of the building on Chadbourne and fill their trunk with citation forms"

That's awesome. I'm sure all the meth heads and meth dealers would really appreciate being hassled less.

What this sounds like is typical of this town. People (older business owners in particular it seems) want everything that comes with growth such as more revenue as well as new stores and such but they don't want the hassles that come with it such as crime and traffic. Sorry folks, you can't have your cake and eat it too. Now do I want to stand by and watch Sherwood Way become a scene from "The Road Warrior"? Well of course not even though the area from Lowe's to Sam's has pretty much gotten that way regardless. However putting new speed signs up won't magically fix anything.

I guess I drive at the wrong time of day. I end up stopped at every light. I don't see how people are getting up to 47 when people get stopped at every light. I also end up driving behind the person driving 30 in the 45 zone.

"...TxDOT reported that 85 percent of the traffic is traveling at an average rate of 46-49 miles per hour."

I must get stuck behind the 15 percent going 35-40 miles per hour all the time. Besides, the traffic lights appear to be timed already to hold down speeds. Reducing the speed limit by 5 mph won't have much of an effect except the drivers already going 35-40 mph will go 30-35. The increase in business along Sherwood Way dictated more traffic lanes. Now a few of the business owners are complaining about the perceived speed of traffic. Naturally councilwoman Charlotte Farmer then picks up the torch and runs with it.

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