The Willow Glen Resident

Council Watch

Board nixes Willow St. stop sign

Other area safety measures proposed

By Cecily Barnes

After a two-hour public hearing before the San Jose Traffic Appeals Commission May 14, the 10 to 15 Willow Glen residents who showed up to argue for a stop sign at the intersection of Willow Street and Camino Ramon left the chambers empty-handed. They have 10 days to appeal the matter to the City Council.

"We're disappointed," said Patsy Neher, who organized the group Willow Glen Neighbors Interested in a Safer Willow Street. "Willow Street has a park, bicycle lane and heavy pedestrian traffic. Safety should be the city's first concern."

Joe Garcia, senior traffic engineer with the Department of Streets and Traffic, said a stop sign would pose more safety problems than it would correct.

"When you put a stop sign on a major street you create congestion, and people will cut through surrounding neighborhoods," Garcia said. "It has also been proven that when a person stops at a light or a stop sign, they take off speeding because the person feels like they need to make up for the time they lost by stopping."

Instead of a stop sign, Garcia proposed painting more Willow Street curbs red to increase visibility, starting up the NASCOP photo-radar program and conducting a crosswalk study for the corner at Camino Ramon.

The issue of traffic on Willow Street was first raised in September 1997, when a group of residents showed up at the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association meeting to complain about large trucks on their street. By the time the neighbors returned two months later to hear the results of a study--which found no truck problem--a 55-year-old woman had been killed trying to cross Willow Street at Camino Ramon.

More than one person reminded the commission of this incident. Others told their own stories.

"I have two children ages 8 and 6, and every Saturday morning we go to Little League," said Glen Eyrie Avenue resident Henry Robinson. "We go to that stop sign and typically wait 10 to 15 minutes before a car stops."

Although many residents spoke in favor of a stop sign, others agreed with Garcia that a stop sign would send cars down residential side streets.

"I think we should try these other mitigations first, and if those don't work, than we can ask for a stop sign," said Camino Ramon resident Greg Ward.

Members of Willow Glen Neighbors Interested in a Safer Willow Street have not decided if they will appeal the decision , Neher said.

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