Willow Glen Resident

News

Photograph courtesy Shukait family

Too Fast: Keith Shukait lives off Bird Avenue. A driver who was going too fast and was unable to negotiate a turn jumped the curb and took out the front stairs and landscape.

Residents not satisfied with the city's answers to traffic calming

By Emilie Crofton

Waking up at 1:30 a.m. to find a car in the front yard and your property damaged is a real nightmare. For Willow Glen resident Richard Zappelli, this rude awakening has happened three times.

"There have been over six residential properties in this area hit by speeding drivers in the last few years," Zappelli said.

Zappelli and other residents who live near the intersection of Willow Street and Glen Eyrie Avenue are tired of drivers speeding down their residential street right across from Gambell Park.

And lately, Zappelli said, there has been an increase in large trucks driving too fast down narrow Willow Glen streets to avoid traffic on Meridian and Lincoln avenues. Residents said drivers are going 40 mph in the 30 mph zone.

At a traffic-calming meeting with city officials May 30, everyone agreed traffic was a problem in the area, but solutions were less clear.

"The main goal everyone agrees with is to slow things down," Zappelli said. "We as residents want to know what we can do to help, and right now our questions aren't being answered."

City officials told residents they would implement a crosswalk study, but neighbors did not think that was enough.

On weekends, more than 300 people, mostly children, are at the park because of Little League games. Residents are afraid one day there will be a fatal accident.

Residents suggested increased traffic enforcement by police, requiring large trucks to travel a different route, or adding stop signs, speed bumps or blinking crosswalks.

The problem, according to Laura Wells from the department of transportation, is the lack of money.

Last year the city had $5 million in its budget for traffic calming, but according to Wells, no new funding has been allocated in the 2007-08 budget.

With the lack of financial support from San Jose, city officials are considering allowing residents to put their own money toward mitigating traffic problems, such as a blinking crosswalk.

Willow Street residents are taking this possibility seriously.

However, residents told city officials, including District 6 Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio and VTA spokesman Jim Lawson, that a greater traffic enforcement presence would provide an immediate solution to the speeding problem in the neighborhood. Residents also said a 25 mph sign would slow down traffic, but Wells said it would not be enforceable because the speed limit on the street is 30 mph. The lower speed is enforceable only in a school zone or near a senior center.

Many residents at the meeting support having a stop sign or speed bumps, but there are others who aren't so sure.

"I don't think a stop sign will help. Drivers usually speed in between stop signs and just do 'rolling' stops," said Larry Ames, president of Willow Glen Neighborhood Association, at the meeting.

There are mixed feeling as well about adding a crosswalk at the intersection of Willow Street and Glen Eyrie Avenue because the crosswalk would be located close to a blind curve. Some residents worry it could be dangerous for pedestrians because the cars might not be able to stop in time.

In addition to all the speeders, residents told city officials that parking is an issue.

According to several residents, people park at 45-degree angles on street corners, blocking traffic and making it hard for drivers to see as they drive through the intersection. Other individuals pointed to the curb spaces in front of some of the fire hydrants that are not painted red, making people think it's all right to park in front of them.

"A lot of questions were answered on what we can't do, but not on what we can do to slow down traffic and make Willow Street safe," Zappelli said.