Four-way stop signs voted down

Ronica Shannon
Register News Writer

July 23, 2008 08:36 am

— The idea of a four-way stop at the entrance of Lake Reba Recreational Complex was officially laid to rest Tuesday after city commissioners, along with Richmond Mayor Connie Lawson, voted against the ordinance at a noon meeting.
The ordinance’s first reading was heard at the July 8 meeting where Commissioner Kay Cosby Jones, who was unable to attend Tuesday’s meeting, mentioned that the four-way stop was needed to assist children in crossing the street going to and from the aquatic center.
Jones said the stop signs were a request of the Highland Park/Highland Lake Neighborhood Association.
The city street department installed the four-way stop about three weeks ago, and it has since been taken down, said Richmond City Manager David Evans.
“I think Commissioner Jones probably wanted those as a permanent structure, but on the advice of legal counsel, there has to be an ordinance passed,” he said.
Despite the neighborhood association’s request, the four-way stop was not a success.
A resident of Parkview Way recently sent complaints via e-mail about the stop signs that were installed, and later taken down.
He call the idea “well intended,” but “a bad idea.”
“Many drivers simply did not stop in the short period (the four-way stop) was up,” he wrote. “I was almost hit making a right turn on to Gibson Bay Drive ... I have stood in my front yard and watched people breeze right through the stop sign.”
He also addressed the traffic jam the stop signs seemed to be creating.
“As people are leaving the ball fields and aquatic center, traffic backs up past the ball fields to the soccer fields,” he wrote.
Commissioners Tuesday also voiced their concerns about the ordinance that would allow the signs to be installed permanently.
“I’m not in support of creating a four-way stop, but we need to do something for the people entering and exiting,” said Commissioner Robert Blythe. “It would be good to have a well-defined crosswalk there.”
Blythe suggested at the July 8 meeting that park security workers at Lake Reba Recreational Complex could be in charge of making sure traffic flows freely during the busiest times of the day.
Brewer, Blythe and Commissioner Bill Strong all voted against the ordinance.
Jones could not be reached Tuesday for a comment.
In other business:
• An order was adopted allowing the city to release funding to the Richmond Industrial Development Corporation for site preparation work in the Richmond Industrial Park.
Grant’s Excavating, based in Richmond, was given $512,885.21 and QUORE Property Sciences, based in Lexington, was given $10,906.25.
• The city purchased a Bobcat skid-steer loader from Bobcat Enterprises for $25,114.93. The piece of equipment will be used in the city’s recycling department.
• The city officially entered into a lease agreement with the Daniel Boone Chapter of the American Red Cross for office space in the basement of City Hall.
• Jeffery Steven Bonham, Daniel Neil Ellis and Derek Kendall Noe have been hired as Richmond police officers effective Aug. 11.
• Eugene Strange was appointed to the Citizens Advisory Board for Police and Community Relations; Floyd Covington was reappointed to the Richmond Parks and Recreation Board; and Whitaker Communications was appointed to serve as a public information liaison for the city.
• Ken Campbell was hired to serve in the city’s Golf Maintenance/Greens Department.
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.