UPDATE: The Arroyo Grande City Council Tuesday night listened as information and data were provided to them regarding complaints from residents in the Berry Gardens neighborhood about increased traffic in the area.
Arroyo Grande Police Chief Beau Pryor says at the end of the meeting, it was suggested that police continue to conduct traffic patrols in the area.
Also discussed was the possibility of adding LED lighting to stop signs already placed along South Courtland.
More speed signs and additional markings on the road will also be added, according to Pryor.
The police chief says one of the last things mentioned by the city manager during the meeting was working with USPS to place mailbox clusters on both sides of the street so residents do not have to cross the busy road to get their mail.
Pryor says city staff will begin working on the improvements immediately and the city and police department will continue to work with residents in the neighborhood to address their concerns.
ORIGINAL STORY: The City of Arroyo Grande will be looking at traffic issues in a neighborhood where people say it is a problem.
In the Berry Gardens neighborhood, you will find helpful, politically active, patriotic people who just want to get their mail, but there is a problem on Cedar Street.
“This is a bad situation,” said one resident who did not want to be identified.
Neighbors say the street is being used as a way to cut through traffic from East Grand Avenue.
More than 50 people have petitioned the city to add stop signs.
“It definitely makes me nervous, having the cars speed through here,” said Breanna Walsh, who has two children and worries about their safety. “Pedestrians are always crossing to get their mail.”
She and her husband wrote a letter, one of several, to the city about the dangerous nature of the street.
“More often than not, these drivers will speed down Cedar and through the intersection of Boysenberry going
between 35 and 50 mph with no regard for the numerous pedestrians and bikers in the area. At night,
sometimes they can be heard revving their engines as they carelessly blast by. This is a tragedy waiting to happen.”
The city’s development department says the intersection of Cedar and Boysenberry Street do not meet the requirements for an all-way stop. Instead, results of the study suggest “traffic calming measures” like speed bumps, speed limit signs, and even raised crosswalks.
It’s not the only intersection in the area with the potential to create a crash or worse.
“It’s bound to happen,” said a resident. “A lot of blind corners, you have trees and stuff, everyone is necking down right here. sooner or later it’s going to happen.”
City offices are closed on Friday so officials could not be reached for comment. Our request for comment from police was also not returned.
The City Council will address the issue at Tuesday’s meeting.
