Brandon Twp. – Katherine Steward is relieved that a study is finally going to be done on the curves in front of her home on Seymour Lake Road.
‘When I heard the tires squeal, my guts just sank,? Steward said as she explained that recently a car slid off the curves, in the same spot that a bus would be dropping off children had it not been late.
‘The rate of 50 miles an hour through those curves is just too high, and I can’t let this go on,? she said.
The Road Commission of Oakland County Traffic Service Engineer Mohammed Lutfi said that on May 20, he and a State Police traffic study trooper, and Township Supervisor Ron Lapp will do an on site study of the speed and curve issues.
In February, after the death of a local teenager, Steward and her neighbors began calling the Road Commission of Oakland County, as well as the township, to get something done about slowing motorists down on Seymour Lake Road, between Sashabaw and M-15.
At the same time, Lapp says he also made a written request for the county to reduce the speed limit and post additional speed limit signs, along with a flashing curve sign.
In Oakland County, when a reduction of speed is requested on an MDOT roadway, a referral must be made to the state police for an on site study.
At that time the RCOC made a statement that there were no current plans to make road changes or improvements along that stretch of road.
‘We did a study of the traffic on that road,? Lutfi confirmed.
‘We then reviewed the number of accidents on those curves and have requested the on site study.?
While Oakland County Sheriff Department records indicate 36 accidents reported in 2003 on the curvy stretch of road, resident Katherine Steward says the near misses continue to be a daily occurrence because motorists are going too fast, and are unprepared for the many school buses that stop along the curves.
Lufti said for a reduction of speed to occur, it would have to be agreed on by Oakland County Road Commission, the township, and the State Police and that he would like to see it reduced to 45 mph, adding that placing more signs along the curves would also be appropriate.