Interstate 75 doesn’t go through downtown, but many motorists drive as if it does, officials say.
‘Cars were sailing on Main Street,? said Mayor Steve Arkwright, describing a recent downtown walk.
He called for a larger police presence on Main Street to deter speeding.
‘It should not be a policy of this city or not my interest that we write a bunch of tickets, but there has been a dramatic drop off in speeding tickets and I can assure you there has not been a drop off in speeding,? he said at the Nov. 9 Clarkston City Council meeting. ‘I don’t care if they ever write a ticket, but I would like to see the lights go on once in awhile.?
According to Police Chief Dale LaCroix’s report, officers handed out 93 tickets May-July, but only 21, August-October.
“We need to slow traffic down,? Arkwright said.
Councilman Charles Inabnit said cars are at ‘interstate speeds? by the time they reach his house a little south of downtown.
Councilman Jim Brueck said a recentl city walkability study suggested white lines painted alongside each side of the road to define smaller lanes.
‘Let’s say Main Street is 60 feet wide, so what they do is paint two lines, six feet from each side, so the driving lane now looks like it’s a lot narrower from the center line to the curb,? Brueck said. ‘The road isn’t any narrower but people slow down – it has an impact on people’s psyche.?
Councilman Mike Gawronski suggested white lines on Miller Road.
‘It’s a drag strip between Holcomb Road and Glenburnie Drive,? he said. ‘It just takes one flat tire or something and someone’s roaring down there with no curb or grass strip, and somebody walking down the sidewalk is going to die.?
Councilman Stephen Hargis suggested a crosswalk on Main Street between Church Street and Depot Road.
Jaywalking is common there, as pedestrians try to get from the east side of Main Street to Depot Park and vice versa.
‘Milford actually has a sign out in the street, which says ‘State law, yield to pedestrians,’? Hargis said. ‘Does that apply here and for a state road??
Arkwright said he didn’t think it was a safe place for a crosswalk, even though he does it all the time.
‘I think if we put some paint down, we’re going to own it,? he said. ‘I think we need traffic enforcement. That’s what we’ve got a police department for. We need them out there on the streets enforcing the speeds.?
Brueck agreed, but said they can’t ignore the fact people cross there.
‘I rather fight for some better way of having a safe crosswalk then saying I can’t do it. It’s very natural, if the road crosses there,? he said. ‘I’ve done it so many times I can’t tell you, I try to be careful, but maybe one day I won’t be. I would prefer to pursue what we can do.?
Councilwoman Peg Roth also mentioned better enforcement of two-hour parking zones.
City Manager Dennis Ritter said, Friday, he spoke with Oakland County and Michigan Department of Transportation about the “no turn on red” sign as at M-15 and Washington Street, and possibly attaching hours to it. He also talked about changing the timing of the light at Washington so pedestrians have more time to get across M-15.
‘MDOT said they would look into it,” Ritter said. ‘I was told a crosswalk at Church Street and Depot presents a problem because there is no traffic signal there.”
Ritter also said he spoke with LaCroix about greater traffic enforcement on Main Street.
During the day, it’s almost impossible to speed because traffic is so busy, LaCroix said.
‘We’ve been watching it more at night,? he said. ‘We’ve written a couple tickets but nothing major.?