AGENDA #3a(2)

From: Mehdi & Mai Zakerin [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 1:22 PM
To: Ernie Rogers; Kumar Neppalli
Cc: Sheridan Bell
Subject: Traffic at top of Piney Mountain Road

Good morning Mr. Ernie Rogers & Mr. Kumar Neppalli,

We the residents of the top and last block of Piney Mountain Road would like you to address our traffic issues.

This block between Riggsbee and Emily is a traditional residential block with rows of houses on both sides facing each other. The sidewalk on the east side of Piney Mt. Rd. joins to the Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. on the south and Weaver Dairy Road via Kinston on the north.

The speed limit is 25 MPH from the northern end of our block at Emily all the way to Weaver Diary Rd. via Kington Rd. Going in the other direction from Emily south to Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. the speed limit is 35 MPH.

We, the residents of this block, would like the protection of the 25 MPH speed limit moved over one block south of Riggsbee Road.

We have families, neighbors from other blocks, visitors, and delivery & service people who would greatly benefit from traffic moving at safer speeds through our neighborhood block.

Here are some of our activities and situations which would benefit from lower speeds:

• We have families with young children who cross back and forth across this street.
• The designated school bus stop on the east side of Piney Mtn. Rd. at Riggsbee, serves children who live on the west side of Piney Mtn. Rd.. They use the side walk and cross over Pney Mtn. Rd. further north.
• All the families on the west side use the sidewalk on the east side.
• All the families on both sides interact with each other.
• All of our visitors, service & delivery vehicles, some of who have to back out into Piney Mt. Road.

Some of the factors which influence the solution to our situation are:

• The traffic heading south come around a sharp 90-degree curve at Emily & accelerate, having clear sailing all the way to Martin Luther King Blvd.  The gentle downward slope of our block enhances the acceleration.
• The mouth of the Zakerin family driveway (605 Piney Mtn. Rd.) & other families is near the blind curve at the junction of Emily.  It is where the whole family & visitors flow across Piney Mountain as pedestrians & bikers. It is also where vehicles back in & out.
• We are experiencing cut through traffic & speeders.  Speeds over 50 MPH occur on a regular basis, and speeds over 40 MPH most hours in a day in both directions.
• In the northward direction, vehicles often do not see the sign for the curve until it is too late & tire squeals are often heard when the blind curve abruptly comes on them.  On a few occasions, fast-moving vehicles who could not stop in time have struck the toys of playing children.  Thank goodness, we are not aware of any children who have been struck by speeding vehicles.
• Riggsbee Road at the south end of our block is a secondary residential feeder street from the Lake Shore neighborhood.

 With all these factors in mind, we offer the following solution.

1.  Put in a three-way stop sign at Riggsbee & Piney Mountain Road.

2.  Put in a speed reducing strip north of the Zakerin driveway (605 Piney Mtn. Rd.) as you come from Emily just south of the OWASA driveway.

3.  Put up a 25 mph sign as you enter our block from either direction.

4.  Rename Piney Mountain Road on our block from Riggsbee to Emily to “Piney Mountain Height” to distinguish this block as a residential block verses the main Piney Mountain Road which is a well-traveled through road.  A new street name can be placed on the new stop sign.

Thank you for this opportunity to share our situation with you. 

Mehdi Zakerin & Family

Sheridan Bell & Family