Comments on: Decatur Neighborhood Alliance to Meet with City on Speed Limit Proposal Next Week

By: James Johnson

James Johnson — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 21:45:58 +0000

Chris Billingsley and WalterM:

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is James Johnson. I live on South Candler Street — specifically, the portion that opens up into three lanes for several blocks.

You want “evidence that city speed limits need to be reduced”? Well, look no further! I invite both of you to come to my house, sit on my front stoop, and watch traffic pass by at 65 MPH in a 35 MPH zone. You think I’m joking? Come over and prove me wrong. I’ll bring the beer and we can play “what would happen if that MARTA bus hit a kid on a bike at that speed?” Better yet, bring over your wives and children and we can take bets on how long they’re willing to stand on the sidewalk as traffic flies by. Bring your money, ’cause they’re not going to stand there for long!

And while you’re here, you can tell me to my face exactly how you will be inconvenienced by traffic calming in front of my house.

I look forward to meeting both of you.

By: WalterM

WalterM — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 21:00:07 +0000

I look forward to presentation of evidence that city speed limits need to be reduced. As a resident who drives, bikes, and runs in the city I’m not convinced, but may be following some hard numbers about cities with similar reductions who saw corresponding decreases in traffic accidents and cyclist/pedestrian injuries. Likely I think I’ll see a mixed bag with some justification to reduce speed limits on narrow residential streets, but less need to reduce limits on thoroughfares designed for higher speeds, including Scott, Clairmont, and Church. We’ll see.

As an aside, I wonder if reducing speed limits does much to reduce traffic speeds. Maybe the evidence presented will show this, but I don’t think lowering the limit on Scott by 5 mph will necessarily bring drivers into compliance. Many routinely ignore the current limit and will do so for any reduced limit absent frequent and visible enforcement. As a resident who lives along Church Street, I believe drivers who travel Church do so below the current speed limit when traffic is so congested they simply can’t move any faster.

One thing I try to keep in mind is that Decatur is the county seat. As such it does have a need to provide auto access for people who live outside the city so they can get to the courthouse and other county buildings. Non-COD jurors, county government staff, and citizens who have business with the county have more limited transportation options getting to the city and there are plenty of them given the backup each morning and afternoon on Church and Trinity. I believe this sometimes gets lost in the conversation about reducing auto lanes, speed limits, and parking options for various reasons. I enjoy walking and cycling in and through the city but since the city isn’t isolated from the county I would also welcome some county resident input into how COD’s traffic calming and reduction strategies impact them, especially those who must commute in daily.

As a city resident I got the chance to put in my two cents a few months ago. I look forward to seeing the research next Wednesday, but I think I already know the outcome. We’ll see if the evidence supports it.

By: Chris Billingsley

Chris Billingsley — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 11:03:36 +0000

Thanks Scott. Glad to read something about seeking common ground. This is also called compromise which I would like to see more of in our town and country.
Just one more thing and I’m not adding this to creat any more controversy. I agree, more or less, with much of what you wrote except the phrase liberal subversion. The strategic plan is liberalism in action. There was nothing subversive about the process. I knew what would happen based on my experience with the first plan. The people and interest groups that IN MY OPINION dominated the SP process see Decatur, the U.S., and the rest of the world very differently than I do. Normally I tolerate these differences pretty well, “Live and Let Live” but what is being proposed, city wide speed limit reductions, Commerce/Church street traffic diets, moratoriums, etc. will dramatically change the lives of Decatur citizens and visitors to our town. My postings, illogical or well written, may cause others who would normally dismiss my opinions, to think about the unintended consequences of government policy. In ten years, Decatur may be the shining liberal city on the hill or it could be a traffic and high tax/regulation nightmare. Now is the time to think about this.

By: smalltowngal

smalltowngal — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 23:58:21 +0000

Thereby reserving for himself the right to criticize in perpetuity its goals, process, and outcomes. (or not)

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 22:44:45 +0000

Keep in mind that Mr B proudly will tell you that he deliberately refused to participate in the Strategic Plan process.