When Jim Reed saw a 45 mile per hour speed limit sign a few weeks ago on Perry Lake Road, a gravel road, he wrote to state Senator Mike Bishop, state Rep. Eileen Kowall, and Sheriff Mike Bouchard.
Public Act 85, passed in 2006, requires speeds on gravel roads to be based on the number of access points within a half-mile stretch. These access points include driveways, alleys, side roads and private roads within the stretch.
Roads under 30 access points are unposted and speeds allowable up to 55 mph. Roads with 30-44 access points are 45 mph, 45-59 access points, 35 mph, and 60 or more, 25 mph.
‘I was informed by Bishop in a letter that they had tried to pass changes to the speed limit and Granholm had vetoed it,? Reed said. ‘My next step is to write a letter to Granholm and see what she’s up to.?
If she had not vetoed the bill, it would have allowed Oakland County to keep some local control on setting speed limits on the county’s gravel roads.
Granholm released a statement at the time, which stated the amendment ‘would create a special exception from the standardized process for establishing speed limits.?
‘I guess I can understand the State Police concern, but the thing I still can’t accept is that there was no provision for local communities to consider unique circumstances and I think of not just Independence Township, but Oakland County,? Reed said. ‘You got all these natural beauty roads. All these roads out here that are narrow, trees right on shoulder, with really poor visibility, yet the criteria says 45 mph is the speed limit you can drive on this road.?
Another woman who lives on Perry Lake agreed.
‘I have to tell my 15 year-old daughter who’s in drivers training that she cannot obey that speed limit of 45 mph because it’s not safe, I feel it’s very important that she knows it,? she said. ‘It’s way above what is safe.?
She and Reed agreed most people who live on Perry Lake drive an average speed between 25 and 30 mph.
‘Somebody who’s taking this for the first time, maybe they believe they can drive anything approaching that speed, hopefully nobody is foolish enough to drive that fast,? Reed said. ‘It just doesn’t seem productive to me to put up signs to leave people to make an erroneous judgment.?
However, Brent Bair, managing director of the Road Commission for Oakland County, said signage really plays no issue on speed.
‘We found that radar studies we did back in the ?90s people were driving the same speeds in unposted areas as they were the areas we had posted 25 mph,? he said. ‘They were driving about 35 mph in both.?
Bair noted a study taken in Kansas this past spring also showed the speed limit signs had ‘no impact on speed of traffic.?
‘Basically people drive at whatever speed they feel is safe,? he said.
Kowall said she doesn’t ‘buy into that statement.?
‘If people are going to drive a safe speed limit why do you have speed limits at all,? she asked. ‘I’ve gone for walks down my gravel road and there have been times where I’ve had to literally scramble up the embankment to get out the way.?
Trustee Mark Petterson, who works as a road paver, said it was an ‘unimaginable excuse.?
‘The shocks on the vehicle continue to bounce after hitting a bump, hole, or uneven road surface,? he said. ‘Weather also plays a big role in softening the surface thus creating the washboard, and a very dangerous situation at high speed.?
High speed also means roads must be graded more often, with increases costs, he said.
‘Stopping distances are increased on gravel roads especially once tire to road traction is broken,? he said.
Kowall said she wants to sit down with the State Police and ‘get to some sort of understanding? about the situation in Oakland County. She hopes to introduce new legislature next week.
‘At the very least I would like things to be changed back to the way they were before, where counties have the ability to set speed, but we’ll see where this goes,? she said. ‘I hope I can get something done to put things back to some resemblance of sanity in that regard.?
Petterson is grateful to both Kowall and State Rep. Jim Marlow of Orion Township.
‘I commend their attempts to get this back on the house floor for they are truly looking out for the safety and wellbeing of the public,? Petterson said. ‘I would recommend that all residents call or write your state reps and show them your support on this issue before tragedy falls on our community.?