Gentlemen! Slow your engines!
The Oxford Village Council Tuesday voted 4-0 to lower the posted speed limit on a stretch of Lakeville Rd. within the village limits from 45 miles-per-hour (mph) to 35 mph.
The roughly ? mile stretch is located from about the middle of Oxford Lake to the 35 mph speed limit sign, just west of Baypointe Drive, the entrance to the Oxford Lakes subdivision.
Council approved the request after a ‘comprehensive review? of traffic safety issues on Lakeville Rd. was conducted by the village police, Department of Public Works (DPW) and engineering staff.
‘It was the consensus of the staff that? lowering the posted speed along this stretch was the ‘most logical step to improve traffic safety on Lakeville Road,? wrote Manager Mark Slown in a memo to council.
Slown estimated changing the speed limit signs will cost about $400 and ‘take a few days to a week? for the DPW to erect the new signage.
Village Police Chief Mike Neymanowski told council three new signs would probably be required ? two 35 mph signs to replace the current 45 mph signs and one sign indicating ‘reduced speed ahead: 35 mph,? which would be placed near the village limits on Lakeville Rd. as drivers enter from the east.
Neymanowski noted that ‘two serious accidents? have occurred this year at the intersection of Lakeville Rd. and Baypointe Drive.
Both accidents involved vehicles struck from behind while attempting to make a left-turn into Oxford Lakes, the chief said, noting that speed was a factor in one of the cases.
Lowering the speed limit from 45 to 35 mph would give drivers a ‘better opportunity to stop,? Neymanowski said.
Slower speeds can help reduce rear-end accidents, the chief said.
A village police officer was monitoring speeds on Lakeville Rd. last week and ‘most? of the tickets he wrote were for motorists doing 56 mph in the 45 mph stretch, Neymanowski told council.
With the speed limit lowered by 10 mph, Neymanowski told council drivers will typically respond by driving 45 mph in the new 35 mph.
Part of the problem now is that the posted speed limit on Lakeville Rd. within the village limits changes so many times in such a short stretch, Neymanowski said.
The posted speed limit is 25 mph from where Lakeville Rd. begins in the village (the intersection at Glaspie Rd.) to the 35 mph sign, just west of the Beaver Stair Company. That stretch is approximately 0.1 mile.
The posted speed limit is then 35 mph until the 45 mph sign, just west of Baypointe Drive/Oxford Lakes entrance. That stretch is approximately 0.4 mile.
Neymanowski said he doesn’t understand why the speed limit becomes 45 mph in this area. ‘It doesn’t make sense,? he said.
The posted speed remains the 45 mph until becoming 50 mph near the very end of the village limits as drivers enter the township.
‘Personally, as a driver, I get rather annoyed when I keep seeing the speed get jerked around within only a few hundred yards distance,? said Councilman Dave Bailey. ‘If it’s going to be like that, I’d rather have it slow for the whole distance.?