Photo by Frank Lewis | Daily Times
Portsmouth Mayor David Malone and administrative assistant Jeannette Langford are asking City Council for funds to install speed humps on 14th Street.
Frank Lewis
PDT Staff Writer
Scores of children walk across 14th Street between Robinson Avenue and Waller Street every day. At the same time Portsmouth Mayor David Malone and his administrative assistant Jeannette Langford, say those children are being endangered by speeding vehicles, so they will be asking Portsmouth City Council for $1,342.90 to place speed humps at four locations on 14th to attempt to protect the children.
“It’s very dangerous on that street as cars come around Robinson, or even Waller, heading east,” Malone said. “They basically speed through the street, and this issue was taken before the (City) Traffic Committee, and the Traffic Committee has approved this request for a speed bump (hump). It’s very much needed for the safety and the well being of our children there in that community.”
Sixth Ward Councilman Steve Sturgill asked Malone to research the issue and find out how many citation had been issued in that area, which Malone agreed to do.
Langford, representing the citizens of that area, took the issue to the City Traffic Committee, which recommended the action be taken.
“Many of the children that cross that street live in Farley Square, but also they have the Community Action Head Start program in Farley Square as well,” Langford said. “We stand out there and watch them trying to cross those children across the street and cars will speed right past at the time they cross the street.”
“It would not do any good to put an officer there unless they could stay there from early in the morning until late in the evening,” Langford said. “I don’t think we have that kind of manpower to just designate a police officer there.”
Langford said children playing in Bannon Park cross at the intersection in front of the Community Center, and over 100 children involved in the summer outreach program, sponsored by the Scioto County Counseling Center, cross there every day as well.
“I have watched it, and I have had the police department there. They supported it when it went to the Traffic Committee, because they also have seen what goes on when those little children cross the street,” Langford said.
“We’ve had many requests for speed bumps and I’m afraid we will really have an abundance of requests, after this is done,” Fourth Ward Councilman Jim Kalb said. “And I was wondering if there was anything else that we could do - maybe a designated crosswalk or something.”
“They’ve already done that,” Malone said. “And it’s still an issue with the cars. Your concerns were voiced at the Traffic Committee as well.”
Langford told Council the Traffic Committee understands that the outgrowth of the move will be more requests for speed humps in other parts of the city, but told her they would consider each on its own merits.
“Their (Traffic Committee) determination is that this is about children whose lives are at stake,” Langford said. “And if someone wants to have a speed hump on their street just to have a speed hump, they (Traffic Committee) have no problem turning them down.”
Speed humps are usually 12- to 15-feet long and four-inches in height. Usually, they are painted to identify a vertical change in the road and there should be advance warning signs from both directions. There are many municipalities across the country which have successfully installed these humps even though they create local controversy.
Frank Lewis may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 232, or at flewis@heartlandpublications.com
Now if you were the Mayor, or President of Council, you would be able to accomplish something for this community, nut just be a "blowhard" "sissing in the wind pister" on this internet, that matters not.
Unless they changed decades of practice, the M goes on the front end of the UTCD, not on the back, Jacko. OMUTCD, US MUTCD, ETC.
And best of all you did get the issues that was raised in the previous posting, "what a good boy/girl" am you. You got a plumb on you thumb.
Now, how do you suppose, we can impose on the city to do what they are legally responsible in doing for the citizens of this community. They are all too too poor to pay attention.
Google the City of Scranton, PA and San Burdo, CA and see Ptown's fate and worst the way they are out of control, this one little cross walk situation exhibits that.
You and all those people are right, as you say, but look whose in charge doing anything about it, the Mayor's AA, and the Reprobates on the Traffic Commission, or whatever it's called, and you've seen, how the Civil Service was so professional with replacing the Police Chief, and the SOGP and Gampp-Gate.
When are you going to step up to the plate, or belly up to the bar, instead of being like one of those Steve Hayes' PP CAVE people bellowing in the wind with praises lifting up only yourself, etc.
You got Snared, our friend, "mayknow." Deut. 7.16, Prov. 29.25.
Ok, I'll give you the abrieviation glitch.. Never affraid to say I goofed while trying to study other things. But if you want me to run for mayor once Portsmouth figures out the city manager whom they are never going to figure out who they want, then fire, just say the word. You might be Surprised.... lol
The police chief thing, just hire those positions from outside your city and departments...simple fix.
"Steve Hayes" lol too busy listening to real radio stations and they are not from Portsmouth!
I will thank you for the compliments though. Don't have any care givers...
By the way, the biggest thing about the City Manager is that it will take the caps off the Dept. Heads and will trickle down exploding the budget even more,and don't think they did not see that. Someone posted that their city in Ohio went to city manager and had to provide staff for the Manager's office and it was running annually about 1/2 million. Hah.
You need to build a base for Mayor, and if they don't change it back to Mayor, being on Council you can get a majority going and surprise them on that, but got to come in under the radar. Much can be done that way, grants, etc. shuu....
There are those in the community that got the right Idea but need guidance to be successful and productive against the insurgents, etc. Also, there's enough grass roots people that are fed up with this government that they could be a momentum to win back the silent Majority that voted down Martings twice and the $100,000 cap, but they overturned that under the judicial table. They just barely lost the income tax increase.
There's potential but got to come in quiet or they will recall you. Get a lawyer with 5 years experience in Ohio for Solicitor and someone with a heart beat for Auditor. The $50 filing fee for Solicitor run will be taken care of. Kuhn did not take up that offer in the last election.
I hope this comes out alright, had to answer my own posting to stay with you.
You are one of the few that posts like they are rational and sophisticated, see Webster on that one. I'm learning things trying to describe these aborigines. It's more corruptness, making good bad, than ignorant and incompetent or I'd like to think that?
Start thinking about your Yard Sign and leaflets!
Movin' on up............
2. What is the current speed limit?
3. Has there been a speed study done with a traffic count or are we just shooting in the dark with feelings when if there's injury or death, city liability is at hand, let alone one of those children get hurt or killed?
4. Option: make the speed during certain hours down to 10 or 15 MPH's and perhaps a crossing guard at heavy volume times?
5. They did talk about signs, what about flashers and if the pedestrian volumes warrant, push button crossing lights or at least cheap flashing lights on a timer. Hah, they won't even pay $17,000 to "simonize" all of the city's "stop and go" lights. Hah.
6. Let's see, speed bumps, what does the Ohio MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices) say about the warrants for them? (Federal funds require compliance with the Ohio MUTCD So what?)
7. Just for what, the Mayor's (AA) Administrative Assistant thinks it up, why not, the County Commissioners AA does the Economic Growth and Development taking Steve Carter's place, and doing a find job, we might say.
8. Younger drivers will be attracted to speed bumps, going over them and around them, it will draw more traffic, Hello Mayor and Traffic Committee.
9. No doubt that Langford's and the Committee's hearts are in the right place but this is Business not personal.
10. No engineering presence, criteria and standards considerations, just inexperienced laypeople's opinion's, but the courts will cover that up in Scioto County, and guess what, that's all we got, and will have for decades to come like we've had for decades before, if ever?
11, Their Professional technical criteria is "how do you feel about.........."
12. God protect those children, there will be more confusing conditions it looks like without their consideration of the proper criteria and standards considerations and application, huh?
If only God Blesses America..
and Scioto county SE Ohio....