Sending out an SOS: Neighborhood group wants city to address speeding on Seventh Street
A pedestrian tries to cross Seventh Street on a recent afternoon near Madison Street where there is no crosswalk or stop sign. Neighbors would like to see a stop sign and crosswalk to improve safety and get cars to slow down.
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
"I love Ann Arbor, but I've never seen the level of aggressive driving I've seen here anywhere else," he said. "You know, I can't turn in my driveway without someone having road rage and honking their horn and cussing at me. I mean, how dare I hold them up for three seconds, you know?"
Chris Hewett, who lives on Seventh Street and created the Safety on Seventh Facebook group, is leading a neighborhood lobbying effort to get city hall to do something about aggressive driving and speeding on his street.
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
He's spent months gathering videos and photos to document the speeding and aggressive driving that happens on Seventh Street — a major north-south artery that cuts through a residential neighborhood. And in early April, he launched a Facebook page for a new group called SOS: Safety on Seventh, where all of that evidence and documentation has found a home.
Several other neighbors have joined the cause, and they're now sending out an SOS to city hall, hoping city leaders will address their concerns.
"Working with the city, we hope to initiate some speed-calming initiatives here on Seventh," said Hewett, who is particularly concerned about the stretch from Pauline to Liberty.
"What I would really like to see would be reduced speed limits at 20-25 mph, maybe narrowed lanes, and of course pedestrian crossings to make it safe for kids to cross and things like that."
Ann Arbor officials say they hear the group loud and clear and they're now looking to see what can be done, but options might be limited.
'It's like a racetrack'
Hewett can be seen many days standing out by the street with a radar gun, regularly clocking speeding motorists going 45-50 mph where the posted limit is 30 mph.
"It's like a racetrack," he said during a recent afternoon rush hour.
However, a recent traffic study done by the city showed about 9,000 cars per day traveling on Seventh Street at an average speed of 26-27 mph. Some neighbors argued that figure seems too low and doesn't reflect what they're witnessing during rush hour traffic.
Pat Cawley, a city traffic engineer, said the counters were placed about 200 feet from the Madison Street intersection, and that might have had a minor effect on overall speeds. While the average speed was about 26-27 mph, the 85th percentile speed was around 35 mph, maximum speeds reached 54 mph, and several motorists were clocked going above 40 mph.
"We will meet with the residents to discuss issues on the street shortly," he said. "We recognize they feel speeds are too fast and we will look at ways to calm speeds, but given it is a major roadway, we are limited in the tools that are available."
Hewett has been using a radar gun to clock speeding motorists going 45-50 mph where the posted limit is 30 mph on Seventh Street and posting the pictures to Facebook to document the problem.
Screenshot from Facebook
City police said there were 13 vehicle accidents reported along the stretch of Seventh Street from Washington to Pauline from June 1, 2012, to June 1, 2013, though there were no reported accidents involving pedestrians.
Hewett recalled one accident where a car crashed through someone's front porch. Just earlier this week, he said, another car ran a cyclist off the road, causing minor injuries.
"We see so many close calls — something's going to happen at some point," he said. "We just want to try to avoid that if we can and make it a safer area."
Eli Cooper, the city's transportation program manager, observed that Seventh Street is a major collector street that goes from the northern third of the city to the southern third of the city.
"It's primarily a residential road, but it connects many pieces of the transportation network, and that's why drivers use it more than a local residential street," he said.
"There's this tension between the motorists and their desire to travel safely and swiftly from place to place, and the residents who want to enjoy the serenity and tranquility of the neighborhood," he added. "We have to find appropriate treatments to find the best balance between the residents and the motorists, and this is going to be an interesting exploration."
The city of Ann Arbor deployed one of the police department's speed radar signs along Seventh Street to collect speed data. This readout shows a motorist going 11 mph over the speed limit earlier this month.
Courtesy photo
Anglin said the group's concerns are legitimate.
"I understand there was one instance where they recorded 51 mph with a radar gun — that's excessive," he said. "If someone thinks they can do that in the neighborhood, we should be a little more forceful about stopping that, because we have many schools in the neighborhood and I think it has a direct effect on people's housing — their quality of life and the finances on their home.
"If you live on a busy street, and we don't enforce the rules, then the price of that house will drop because no one will want to live there."
Officer Jamie Adkins of the Ann Arbor Police Department said she's working with Police Chief John Seto on traffic issues on Seventh Street.
Police officers were assigned to Seventh and Madison from April 26 through May 15. In total, assigned officers spent 440 minutes of dedicated speed enforcement in the area and wrote 22 hazardous violations and four non-hazardous violations, Adkins said.
Hazardous violations include speeding, running a stop sign, prohibited turns and improper lane usage, while non-hazardous violations include no proof of insurance or no proof of registration.
As a followup to the enforcement effort, one of the police department's speed radar signs is deployed along Seventh Street to collect further speed data.
Seventh Street does not stop
Members of the Safety on Seventh group are now going door-to-door through the neighborhood, circulating a petition calling on the city to implement traffic-calming measures. Hewett said neighbors have been eager to sign and they have about 160 signatures already.
"Roughly 50 to 60 percent of the people who live here that we've surveyed have children, so that's one of the driving concerns," he said.
Motorists driving on Seventh Street do not have to stop at Madison Street right now, but there's support building for making it a three-way stop with a pedestrian crosswalk.
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
One resident even dug up a 1971 report by the Old West Side Association that shows concerns about traffic and speeding on Seventh Street and other nearby streets have been around for decades.
"One of the major threats to the coherence of the Old West Side is the automobile," the report states, recommending a speed limit reduction.
With the speed limit set at 30 mph right now, Hewett said, many people take the liberty of driving 40-50 mph. By setting it at 20-25 mph, he said, maybe they'd drive closer to 30 mph.
Anglin agreed.
"I think we owe it to the citizens to drop the speeds and let people travel at about 30 mph — that's quite enough," he said.
"It all goes back to enforcement, too, and the environment," Hewett added.
"I know what we have working against us is that from Pauline to West Liberty, there's a 124-foot elevation drop, so even if you're just coasting down this hill, you're doing 45 mph.
"If you're not actively braking, you're speeding on here, so it's something in the environment we've got to change. I'm looking forward to working with the city on coming up with ways to break that momentum, slow the speeds down, and make it safer."
One of the videos Hewett posted on Facebook shows a running group having trouble crossing Seventh at Madison where there is no crosswalk. He called it "a dangerous situation" and said one of his group's goals is to get a stop sign and crosswalk put in there.
Seventh Street stretches roughly three-quarters of a mile from Pauline to Liberty without a stop sign or a crosswalk in between.
Anglin agreed it'd be fair to ask people to stop at Madison, and he doesn't think the people who live in the area would mind.
A bicyclist with child in tow waits to turn left off of Seventh Street during busy afternoon rush hour traffic.
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
Cawley said the speed and volume measurements on Seventh Street this spring were done in part to assess the suitability of a three-way stop at Seventh and Madison. Following the criteria in the Michigan Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, Cawley said a three-way stop is not possible at Seventh and Madison.
"The minimum volumes, crash frequency and equal volumes on each leg criteria are not met for the intersection," he said. "Additionally, the intersection does not warrant traffic signal control."
He said stop signs are not effective at controlling speed and are strictly placed as traffic control devices to assign right of way at an intersection.
Cooper also said the city wouldn't install a crosswalk just to have a traffic-calming effect — it would have to meet a need based on pedestrian behavior, where the pedestrian system has a logical connection between residences and the schools.
"There are a number of opportunities that the attention being brought by the citizen group will enable us to focus more clearly using today's toolkit to design a system that works," he said.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.
Comments
Frustrated in A2
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 11:06 p.m.
Lowering the speed limit just means that the people who speed through there will go 45 in a 25 instead of 45 in a 30.
Mike
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 10:08 p.m.
The study done by the city is probably accurate. Average speed is always much lower than actual driving speeds. Have you ever driven down a street that has 9000 cars daily and had to watch cars hit their brakes ? Between stop signs they travel up to 45 or even faster, than they have to stop. A stopped vehicle has a "0" MPH average and may have to be stopped several seconds reducing his average speed. If the speed limit is 30 MPH than that is what should be enforced, not the average speed of the driver. Speed limits on the freeway is 70, average speed during rush hour, 35.
Paul Gustitus
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 9:06 p.m.
I live along Miller Ave which is a residential street with more traffic than Seventh (especially UM Hospital employees). That group is taking the wrong approach with lowering speed limits. Everyone else in the world has rights too. The better solution is twofold: 1) Put a lot of PEDESTRIAN ISLANDS along the route. Given a safe place to cross, pedestrians will stop walking into traffic from random curbs. And the motorists will see and respect them because the drivers anticipate people using the crosswalks exclusively. Along Miller we are going to have crosswalks located near the bus stops (who'd a thunk it). And they must be ISLANDS, so that pedestrians only have to deal with one direction at a time (seventh traffic has lots of natural breaks in each direction, but rarely both directions at the same time). Make the road wider to build these if needed. 2) RESTORE the Ann Arbor POLICE BUDGET to the higher levels that it used to be. The MAYOR and COUNCIL will cut the police and fire budgets until tragedy happens and the citizens scream. So start screaming at them, not the traffic nerds. Then ENFORCE, ENFORCE, ENFORCE. PS 30 mph is fine. Anything below that is stupid and gets ignored. If braking is required then put up signs that say "BRAKING REQUIRED" (Miller has them), and put a cop car at the bottom of the hill. PPS A lot of the landscaping along Seventh seems to slant heavily into the road, drawing toys and kids onto the road surface. There are ways to use better landscaping and short fences to fight this.
John Q
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 8:30 p.m.
I don't usually agree with Jim Walker but I will agree with him that some of the suggestions like stop signs and speed bumps are counterproductive. Drivers will drive as fast as they safely feel that they can. If you want to slow down speeds, you have to change the design of the street to discourage speeding. Steve Bean touched on more street trees that make a road feel narrower. Landscaped islands in place of the left turn lane where it's not needed also help to reduce speeds. Those two changes alone would probably tamp down quite a bit of the speeding without doing anything to reduce the actual capacity of the road.
Linda Peck
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 10:37 p.m.
John, I lived on Fair Street for 18 years. This is a narrow street with cars parked on both sides. One car has to pull over to let the other pass. There are lots of trees right by the street. The cars fly down that hill, just fly! Nothing stops the stupidity but a cop giving a hefty ticket. Let's have more of these service people on our streets.
Laurie Barrett
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 8:24 p.m.
You can't stop progress. Lots of streets and highways were originally Indian traces, etc. People are going to increase speed and volume of traffic on essential streets over time. What sometimes happens in situations like these is that, believe it or not, the city ups the speed limit a tad--in this case to 35?--but then they enforce it. This kind of thing actually makes traffic more civil a lot of times. I don't know how to call the shots on Seventh. 35 does seem too fast for streets with sidewalks on them. Perhaps better enforcement of the existing speed limits. Maybe they could try the speed camera / ticket approach. The cameras alone might make people a bit more conscientious.
CynicA2
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 8:15 p.m.
Whiners, one and all. Get your heads out of your rears, put down the cell phone you're talking/texting on, and the taco you're stuffing your face with, and DRIVE - you might just get home sometime today! The streets of A2 have become populated with distracted drivers, who are focused on everything except driving - some may be leadfoots, but most are slugs, puttering along in the left lane at 5-10 mph BELOW the posted limit - backing-up traffic for a mile behind them. Whatever happened to "Slower Traffic Keep Right"? Having resided in the South myself, I know that everything moves slower there, so time to pick-up the pace Chris - you're not in 'Bama anymore. Pedestrians should stay on the sidewalks, and wait until traffic clears before crossing - period.
CynicA2
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 11:26 p.m.
Yeaahh! Now you're getting the hang of it!!
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 8:50 p.m.
So pick up the pace and "level" everything in my path??? Thanks for the warm welcome :)
kittybkahn
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 8:01 p.m.
Although I don't live on Seventh, I regularly walk my dog down the section between Liberty and Washington and can testify that cars go way too fast down Seventh. The little side street on which I live, Krause, used to be a quiet street, but ever since the Y was built, members of the Y started parking on Krause Street and in the UM parking lot at the end of the street. They go way too fast to get to the lot. What is the speed limit on side streets in Ann Arbor? How would we go about having speed bumps installed?
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 8:36 p.m.
http://www.a2gov.org/government/publicservices/project_management/trafficcalming/Documents/projectmanagement_TrafficCalmingGuidebook.pdf
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 8:32 p.m.
KItty, the City has a 10 step plan...the link is on our SOS site from last month...
Ryan J. Stanton
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 7:54 p.m.
Some people today have more or less suggested that people who buy homes on busy streets don't have a right to complain — that they should have done their homework before moving in. Let me just clarify this isn't an issue about the number of cars traveling on the street. It's about how they're traveling, and the fact that a number of them are traveling illegally. Residents on Seventh Street are saying they've observed unsafe conditions and they're upset that motorists during rush hour are breaking the law and driving rather aggressively, swerving around other cars, and going 15-20 mph above the posted speed limit. These things are actually happening. So let's stick to the issue, which is whether the city should allow this kind of a situation to persist, or whether something should be done about it. Let's not fault anyone for choosing to live on Seventh Street, which happens to be a nice street.
a2roots
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 10:52 p.m.
@Ryan, there are aggressive and reckless automobile drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians in Ann Arbor s well as everywhere else. You can stand at any busy street and experience it. Close calls occur all over. Who is to say more occur on Seventh St than on Packard, Georgetown Blvd., or Liberty. The overriding fact is that the nature of the beast, or street if you will, has much to do with traffic issues. When selecting the location of a home you must be aware of what the surroundings are and how they will impact your quality of life. There are ramifications specifically associated with living on a busy high volume street.
Ryan J. Stanton
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 10:22 p.m.
I don't believe I expressed any opinion. Just a fact that people are driving aggressively and speeding during rush hour. The question is — is it a big enough problem that something needs to be done about it? I think a closer look at speed data all along the corridor, especially during rush hour, instead of speeds throughout the day in one area where people slow to turn onto Madison Street, would be a good next step as we try to answer that question. And the answer might very well be just better enforcement of the existing speed limit. Heck, we might even find we've set the speed limit too low and 35 mph would be more fitting here, and less people would be driving illegally then. I'm not advocating for any particular outcome, but I think it's a situation worth looking at, and it seems the city is willing to give it a closer look.
Brad
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 8:37 p.m.
You seem like you have already made up your mind that there is a problem that the city needs to address here. Is that your personal or professional opinion you're stating?
a2citizen
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 8:34 p.m.
Ryan, Enforce the law. Park a cop somewhere on 7th and ticket everyone that does 31. Enforcing the existing law is the solution. Not a bike lane. Not a round-about. Not speed bumps. Just put a cop on the street and start writing people up. But if aapd ever does that then don't write an editorial chastising them for setting up speed traps.
Tano
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 8:30 p.m.
Well, the city's data seems to indicate that it is not happening at a level that is in any way unusual. And the testimony of those who were born and raised around that street seems to be that the traffic flow today is similar to what it has been for decades. I am glad you at least acknowledge that the issue is a question - "should the city do anything about this". If the data shows that speeds are not excessive, despite the claims of the aggrieved resident, and if the traffic flow has been similar historically, without generating an unusual amount of accidents or fatalities, then the answer may well be "no". And if that is the case, then it is not at all unreasonable to conclude that the complaining resident has simply made a poor choice of where to live, given his personal sensitivities to the traffic envirnonment around him.
Ken
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 7:36 p.m.
Ann Arbor's traffic do-gooders at work. Apparently, anything over 25 MPH is speeding.
SonnyDog09
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 11:56 p.m.
Unless you are riding a bicycle.
shepard145
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 7:07 p.m.
How about this: Don't worry about the speed of the cars - just don't walk in front of one of them and you'll be safe!! Teach your kids (who I'm sure you think are "gifted") the same ...so now with your your personal safety crossing this one street guaranteed, you can all move on and complain about something else. With regard to speed bumps - I hope you get them! Then all you complaining here will experience bumping over them every time you leave and return to your ultra safe homes...and all the annoyance and damage to your cars that goes with that!
Nicholas Urfe
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:53 p.m.
Is it any surprise that drivers speed around and then claim they didn't notice, or were unable to read, signs that clearly indicate pedestrian crosswalks, etc? If you can't read or notice those signs on the road? You are probably driving way too fast.
Nicholas Urfe
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:52 p.m.
The city needs more enforcement on the entitled drivers who think the laws don't apply to them, and who put everyone in danger.
townie54
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 8:45 p.m.
and the bikers whom I see breaking more laws than I ever see car drivers break .
Goober
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:44 p.m.
Not much to do in Ann Arbor. 219 comments and counting. Go figure!
Jack
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:20 p.m.
I regularly drive on Seventh (or used to before the Miller construction) to get home. I have never witnessed anyone speeding on that street. That is not to say they don't, but I do think perhaps Mr. Hewett exaggerates. Seventh Street is a major artery. It is also a residential street. The 30 mph seems more than reasonable to me. To post a 20-25 mph speed limit invites litigation. It is not a speed limit that would be recommended by the State. Further, I rarely see aggressive driving in Ann Arbor. Occasionally, but not often. More often I see oblivious drivers who think they are the only ones on the road. These are, for example, the drivers who get in the left lane on the highway and go 50 mph; the drivers who, at rush hour, leave 100 feet between their car and the car in front of them whilst going though a green light while traffic is piled up behind them. I have seen residents on Seventh Street in the street washing their cars. I've had to dodge them. It would seem, indeed, that residents there are unaware that they live on a main artery. As for speed bumps, that's simply insane. That said, if the City sees fit to install some type of crossing device, let it be a stop light or a hawk light. Anything else is too dangerous.
sweetdaddy1963
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:19 p.m.
People live on streets that are major and they complain like they live in burns park stop it! There are way smaller streets in A2 (la salle ) that people fly up and down its just like the folks who want Jackson to be one lane both way deal with it if you are being a responsible driver and not doing 90 then what's the big deal? Nobody knows how to cross a street on foot anymore stop the madness and pay attention to everyone around you biking,walking,running and driving.
a2roots
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:56 p.m.
How do you make a conscious decision to buy a home on a busy street and then complain about the traffic? This is beyond ridiculous. Admit that your decision was not thought out and look for another place to live.
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:53 p.m.
Chris Hewett here: First, let me apologize if this issue has offended any drivers in A2 , this was not the intention. I also drive and we own 2 cars. Second, I am not running for council, City position, nor do we have children, so this is not a politically/personally motivated agenda. Bottom line - As an OWS resident, I have witnessed too many CLOSE calls around my neighbors and community...something needed to be done...THAT I WILL NOT apologize for! I am also disgusted at the level of selfishness displayed in the comments here, and this "car is king" attitude. Leave a few minutes earlier and have some respect for others in YOUR community...its not worth risking a life...
CynicA2
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 8:35 p.m.
Let's see... you live in a town 50 miles from the "Motor City", and you're surprised that cars rule? I like my car much better than most people I know. It takes me anywhere I want to go, it doesn't talk back, or complain - unless I don't maintain it properly, which isn't too hard, really. I'm really not all that thrilled with the current A2 "community", so-called. The town was much better off when the Germans ran it... alas.
a2roots
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:07 p.m.
There are crappy drivers, bicyclist and pedestrians throughout the city. Your street is not the only one subject to the stupidity and recklessness of people. However, you did choose to live on a busy street which may or may not have more close calls than other similarly busy streets. I would assume location may be more important to you when you decide to purchase your next home.
LourdesG
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:52 p.m.
There are a limited number of citizens that live on Seventh Street…and I am one of them. It is not a surprise to me to read so many comments against slowing down the traffic on Seventh and making it safer for everyone…simply because there are way more people that do not live on this street and do not experience the level of carelessness of many of the drivers. The majority of people that drive through here want to get in and out as quick as possible. It saddens me that there is not sense of community here and that we Ann Arborites cannot join together for a simple cause that is make this a better place. I wonder what your position would be if your children where the ones trying to cross this street with no safe crossings, or if your husband or wife was the cyclist that just got run off the road …or if a car crashed into your front porch. Then surely you would be supportive because it would affect YOU and your family. We are not complaining about the level of noise…and believe me… I knew that before I moved here. The noise does not bother me because I have always lived in big cities. I lived in London for eight years so I can assure you that I know what noise is. We are not talking about noise; we are talking about people being completely disrespectful and completely selfish. Surely you can leave your house five minutes earlier so you can drive through here at the 30mph speed and stop for pedestrians if you need to. We are just asking motorists to use their common sense and be respectful, that's all.
Steve Bean
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:48 p.m.
Space for additional street trees is available in the extensions just south of Liberty as well as in other areas along S. Seventh. Plantings in those places would be a reasonable approach to calming traffic while also addressing the heat island effect of the roadway and sidewalks and possibly reduce storm water runoff.
tim
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:31 p.m.
Face the facts---- the whole of Ann Arbor is a bit on the spastic side ( as are many cities where there are lots of jobs). If I stood on the corner of Seventh and Huron for a week and got paid one dollar for everyone that ran a red light I could retire a wealthy man. Bottom line is-- if Ann Arbor wants slower traffic then they need to hire more cops.
VillageDweller
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:21 p.m.
I support Mr. Hewett's campaign and also any measures that the city takes to make 7th a safer street for everyone. I've travelled that street a lot over the years and enjoy the lovely, shady neighborhood. I drive the limit on 7th so I can appreciate the beauty of the place I call home. I do this on most streets in Ann Arbor. We have a lovely town. It really doesn't take much longer than about 20-30 minutes to get from one side of town to the other at any time of day and on any street. So you just plan for it. Radical concept, I know. P.S. Steve Bean is my new favorite commenter here.
LourdesG
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:54 p.m.
I totally agree with you!
deletedcomment
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:03 p.m.
Is the Radar gun in question calibrated? Maybe he has yet to calibrate it and is seeing numbers higher than actual speed.
Frustrated in A2
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 11:13 p.m.
I thought the same thing, that's not to say that his gun is off by much but that's a possibility. I wondered who buys a radar gun, it's not like they're cheap and he can't write tickets to recoup his money!
LourdesG
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:56 p.m.
All you need to do is stand here for a while and you will see it for yourself.
Kevin Leeser
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5 p.m.
A few comments... thanks for opening this discussion Chris. 1. First when AA.com started this response i thought the point was you had to use your real name, so man up Fatbart, and Sallytoolame, use your real name in a real discussion, or please stay out of it. 2. Saying that we bought a house on 7th and comparing it to living near an airport is a mistake. The traffic on 7th between certain hours is absolutely heavenly, and how many times did you visit your house before signing the papers, maybe 4 times? during business hours? what we see is that traffic during rush hour is too poorly regulated, and that is also the time children are going to school. This isn't about sitting on my porch and wanting to hear the ripple of the leaves in the wind, its about preventing a child get from getting killed, okay? 2.a... saying we should have not bought our houses were we chose to infuriates me. I have to think that the people that have to commute to work in a car (fueled by overseas oil, rolling on Chinese tires) might choose to buy a house closer to their job, where they can ride a bike, or walk, or take a bus to work. okay? 3. I want to personally put a shout out to Rick Owens plumbing for stopping while my son and i crossed at the crosswalk. If just the city owned and operated vehicles would lead by example and travel at 25 mph where waterworks park, and that crosswalk is, many other drivers would slow down, and actually realize that they will still get to work on time. 4. I am not surprised by the responses to this article, when i wrote an editorial about this issue a couple of years ago for this site i was honestly a bit terrified that some of the responses were actually removed by the staff here. I would love to hear what those were, but at the same time, it makes me very sad that people have so little respect for the lives of their neighbors here.
John Q
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 8:22 p.m.
Kevin - Many of the cranks here don't live in Ann Arbor. When driving in Ann Arbor. most of them want to drive as fast as they want through the city and complain about anything that they feels prevents them from doing that.
Steve Bean
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:39 p.m.
Kevin, the curmudgeons and trolls here are not your concern. Focus on people whose opinions matter, such as your council reps, the mayor, your neighbors, and city staff. "Saying that we bought a house on 7th and comparing it to living near an airport is a mistake." Actually, it's not a mistake, it's an intentional misrepresentation by someone who acts out of spite. Ignore it.
deletedcomment
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:20 p.m.
Would you like some cheese with that wine?
JMA2Y
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:36 p.m.
Those "This is your speed" signs only slow down traffic and allow the police and cities to say that there is no problem. This has happened on Summit in Ypsi. We complained, we had proof, there were accidents at corners. The city posted "This is your speed" signs to gather data and VOILA! All cars slowed to 25-30. But when removed, cars drove through faster. We complained that the city didn't follow state regulations and have marked speed signs a few feet before/after intersections and turns offs (whatever the footage, it's laid out in the regulations.) They put up one sign off of Washtenaw but saw no reason for a sign off Michigan Ave. So you go down the street and only one sign in one direction tells you the speed. There is a process for reporting the issue to the State Police which handles road complaints regarding speed and signage. They should check the Mich.gov and State Police websites for more info.
rutrow
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:29 p.m.
There is a problem of two polar opposites, and both are not helping: the aggressive jerks who are pasted to your rear end (by the way, far more prevalent outside of Ann Arbor than within) and the two-mile-per-hour creeps who wish to control everybody. Both are very irritating. If something is indeed done, such as more monitoring of speeds along this street, I would hope the typical does not occur, which is total neglect during hours of the day in which there are actually safety concerns coupled with scads of tickets issued between 10 pm and 5 am. The nasty paradox everywhere is that when danger is least present that is exactly when "safety in numbers" disappears and people are punished for the sins of others, who had used the street as a speedway six hours earlier.
Mike
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:18 p.m.
"You know, I can't turn in my driveway without someone having road rage and honking their horn and cussing at me. " I'm sure that's not an exaggeration....................He lives on a main street and wants to turn it into a side street.
Jack
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:30 p.m.
I find it hard to believe that someone has road rage every time Mr. Hewett turns into his driveway, especially if he uses his blinkers. It is this type of exaggeration that weakens an argument.
LourdesG
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:06 p.m.
Mike, my driveway is directly on Seventh Street and I can assure you that Mr. Hewett is not exaggerating.
Goober
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:22 p.m.
He has a right to turn into his driveway, doesn't he?
racerx
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:17 p.m.
While A2 does everything to discourage the use of the automobile in the city, drivers are increasingly becoming frustrated trying to get around town. Reduced traffic lanes, pedestrian islands, traffic calming measures, the frustration is only going to increase, thus the results, motorist speeding along any and every street just to get across town. There is no balance between the increase traffic concerns of motorist and the "green" community. It's basically just one-sided; "green". Take Division street going from four lanes to two allowing parking. Ever drive those lanes? The parked car is to close to the roadway. If ever a passenger attempts to open their door a car will hit it. But, this is going to continue when Jackson Rd. is reduced from four lanes to two. A2 should really spend more time focusing on how to effectively balance the needs of the thousands of commuters who come in and out of the city on a daily basis then just focusing on the needs of the limited amount of bikers and greenies who want to dispell the automobile altogether. What other city has a "Transportation Coordinator" whose only purpose has been to figure out ways to rid the city of automobiles? Does this position ever attempt to decide how to determine the best ways to get traffic flowing in/out of the city? With the major streets reduced to two lanes, drivers are figuring out new ways to get around traffic, thus the steady use of neighborhoods where children are present, dogs, bikers, e.t.c. It, (pun intended) has to be a two-way street A2, you just can't keep on figuring out ways to do away with the automobile. This will never be mainland China where the bike is king, or rail, or trolley, or bus lane only, or Zipcar Prius, or ski lifts, or....
rutrow
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:35 p.m.
.....not to mention something Ann Arbor shares with Pontiac, Warren, Oak Park, Walled Lake and even Detroit (among countless others): signals that have been deliberately timed--or programmed--to cause as many cars as possible to stop and sit and wait and wait and wait and wait at every single light. Every single one. 24/7.
whojix
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:15 p.m.
"However, a recent traffic study done by the city showed about 9,000 cars per day traveling on Seventh Street at an average speed of 26-27 mph." So the study was done and there is no problem here, that's a fact. Time for everyone to move on with their lives.
racerx
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:20 p.m.
They won't move on. There's a whining citizen with a video on Facebook. What's facts have to do with anything?!?
Ryan J. Stanton
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:08 p.m.
As someone who spent a bit of time out on Seventh Street for this story, I can say it seems a crosswalk on Seventh at Madison would be well used. I saw a number of people playing Frogger to get across the street during busy rush hour traffic, and I was among them.
LourdesG
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:11 p.m.
a2citizen...your comment is out of order.
Ryan J. Stanton
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:29 p.m.
My reason for crossing the street was to get from one side to the other.
Fred Pettit
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:13 p.m.
Let's follow the guidelines set by the state before we put in a new crosswalk.
a2citizen
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:43 p.m.
So your reason to cross the street was for no other reason but to antagonize commuters?
Fred Pettit
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:57 p.m.
I hope our councilmen remember that they represent the entire Fifth Ward, not just those on Seventh. To lower the speed limit as Mike Anglin suggests might get him some votes from those residents but it would be absurd. Enforce the 30 MPH speed limit, DON'T lower it.
Tom Teague
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:53 p.m.
A friend in Atlanta tired of cars speeding through his neighborhood so he put on blue clothing, tethered a smart phone to a large black blowdryer with some tape, and stood on the street pointing it at the lane that speeders most often used. He brought it in to the office once and it did look like a radar gun. He claimed it worked wonders.
Tom Teague
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 7:37 p.m.
Since it's apparently not illegal to privately check drivers' speeds with a radar gun, and since no one is using un-granted authority to stop drivers in this case, you might want to consult an attorney before you restrain anyone for standing in his/her yard pointing a hair dryer up the road.
deletedcomment
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:24 p.m.
Impersonating a Police officer is a felony. If I saw you outside pretending to 'radar' traffic I would stop, detain you under citizens arrest and report you to the authorities.
Mike
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:20 p.m.
That sounds like a really smart idea..............
Jack Gladney
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:38 p.m.
Welcome to Ann Arbor: Where a red light means, "Quick! Floor it before the cross-traffic gets the green!" and stop signs and crosswalks are mere suggestions. (p.s. It's not the traffic laws, it's the people.)
nickcarraweigh
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:35 p.m.
Don't buy a house on the beach and complain about sand. But if they installed a couple nice neighborhood taverns on 7th St., like Hamtramck or Chicago, with asphalt siding, neon signs, shuffleboards and hard boiled eggs, traffic would slow down for sure. Toss in a couple Polish or Italian bakeries, and morning rush hour would be stop-and-go.
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:06 p.m.
Well said Steve, echoes my comments below!
Steve Bean
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:36 p.m.
Average speeds can depend on factors such as proximity to intersections where vehicles turn onto and off of the street being studied, proximity to signal-controlled or signed intersections, direction of rush hour traffic relative to slope (i.e., are cars traveling more in the uphill direction during the time period studied or the opposite?), and probably others. "Pat Cawley, a city traffic engineer, said the counters were placed about 200 feet from the Madison Street intersection, and that might have had a minor effect on overall speeds. While the average speed was about 26-27 mph, the 85th percentile speed was around 35 mph, maximum speeds reached 54 mph, and several motorists were clocked going above 40 mph." That would place it on the less-steeply sloped area near Lutz Ave. Vehicles there would need to slow for cars turning at that intersection and also for southbound cars beginning to slow for the left turn at Madison. Average speed in this case is largely irrelevant. Safety and traffic flow would both be improved if the average stayed roughly the same with the extremes moving closer to the middle.
Brad
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:11 p.m.
Well the measurements say the average speed is 26-27, so you have 3MPH to spare! I don't doubt that people have gone 50MPH through there, but it has to be an exception or else you wouldn't get averages like that.
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:46 p.m.
Nick, respectfully, we bought houses on a 30mph road...NOT 50mph...
Regina Carol
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:27 p.m.
The people who don't live on 7th saying they never see anyone speeding on 7th don't really have the experience to make these comments. I live on 7th and I see people speeding all day long every day and every night. If you only drive through 7th once or twice a day during rush hour, when the traffic is congested, of course you won't see people speeding. This is a serious issue and people do have a hard time crossing the street. People aren't even stopping for pedestrians at crosswalks, even though it's law. I am all for speed-control humps, or a stop sign or 2. Obviously that would cost the city less than having more police officers patrolling. Cheap and easy solution.
Jack
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 7:54 p.m.
Actually, we do have the right to say we never saw anyone speeding whether we live there or not if, in fact, we use that road. I use it generally at night or in the afternoon - never at rush hour. I have not seen people speed. Of course you've seen people speed if you live there. I see people speed on my residential street also, and it is not a major thruway like yours. The idea of speed bumps on a major artery is not a good one, to my mind. During rush hour, when people can't see them, there would be tons of vehicle damage.
LourdesG
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:15 p.m.
Thank you Regina! I completely agree with you.
deletedcomment
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:26 p.m.
How is the city average for this stretch of road under 30mph if you see individuals speeding day and night? Try to not to make stuff up, it wont help your cause.
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:37 p.m.
Well said Regina! Drivers: Is your need to get to your destination 5 minutes faster REALLY more important that someone's life and/or safety? Something we ALL should think about...
Goofus
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:27 p.m.
If the powers that be would stop mucking up all downtown commutes with interminable road closures downtown and had never stupidly narrowed all the main arteries doing downtown with useless left turn lanes, the citizens of 7th would not have this problem. Just wait until another downtown street is closed off and the powers that be narrow Huron/jackson next year...
Dirty Mouth
Mon, Jul 1, 2013 : 12:03 a.m.
I agree completely. Driving in A2 has become a nightmare.
townie54
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:26 p.m.
you think its bad now ?Wait until they narrow huron by vets park to one lane and the cars are backed up from vets park to seventh street during rush hour.Then traffic will double on seventh so cars can go to liberty, miller or Pauline to go west out of town
hmsp
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:26 p.m.
Oops. Re my, "Few people know as mush about traffic safety as he does," That was a typo, not sarcasm.
Scott Reed
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:24 p.m.
We should double or triple the fines for speeding, and monitor that road more aggressively. The arrogance and self-entitlement of some drivers is incredible, the way they speed through residential areas. I'm all for more stop signs, speed bumps, narrowing the roads and whatever else helps to clamp down on reckless drivers (which is most of them).
hmsp
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:20 p.m.
I was waiting for Mr. Walker to chime in here. Few people know as mush about traffic safety as he does, and it is worth reading his words –– and googling him, for that matter, you'll learn a lot. Chris, track Mr. Walker's contact info down, and give him a buzz re alternative calming possibilities. He's an Ann Arbor resident. I missed the 85th-percentile bit in the article. Mr. Walker is right –– that is how you properly set speed limits. Counter-intuitive, yes, but it is statistically proven. So I modify my suggestion: First set the limit at 35, THEN use a 5-over standard for ticketing/warning.
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:06 p.m.
Points To Consider: 1) Commenters: If you might question whether there is a problem on 7th and Madison Streets, please go to the SOS site and review the documentation (we are not fabricating false issues) : https://www.facebook.com/groups/SOS.SafetyonSeventhSt/ 2) Some have stated that we are against "busy" roads. We are against UNSAFE road conditions, please note the distinction. 3) The homes in this area (pre 1900 and automobile) were build with very shallow set-backs from the street (about 15 feet). This minimal set-back mixed with high speed traffic is just not a safe environment. This area was not originally built up with automobile traffic in mind...because cars did not exist...
Billy
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:05 p.m.
I grew up on 7th and my father still lives on it. There has ALWAYS been speeding on 7th....this isn't new. This also has never been a problem. Just because he is now perceiving it as an issue doesn't mean it has suddenly appeared.
Steve Bean
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:53 p.m.
I'd get more of both, if possible, and look more closely at both than some here have done.
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:32 p.m.
Brad - In this case do YOU happen to know just where the speed studied were performed? I'll tell you: On 7th it was right at Lutz so of course the majority of speeds were slower because people were slowing to turn ar Lutz, Madison and in their driveways. Was the speed measures on the lond downhill straisht between Pauline and Madison? NO...The same on Madison...the sppeds were recorded at 6th and Madison...at the END of Madison! Now, do YOU question the City's data? The police even said they gave out tickets every 20 minutes (that incluses traffic stop times) so its more like every 10 minutes...still not convinced theres a problem???
Brad
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:43 p.m.
In situations like this where the objective and subjective data are at odds what would you do?
Steve Bean
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:32 p.m.
"Which do you think we should use to inform our public policy?" Both public input and objective data, which is what's happening. Both exist and are being considered. Feel right all you like, though, Brad.
Brad
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:05 p.m.
Vote down objective data if you wish, but it'll still be there. That's the thing about objective data - it doesn't care what you think.
Brad
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:14 p.m.
And the city has "documented" something else. Traffic engineers and such. Which do you think we should use to inform our public policy?
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:07 p.m.
Billy...its documented: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SOS.SafetyonSeventhSt/
DJBudSonic
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:04 p.m.
I am on Seventh many times a week, and there is some fast traffic on there. If the speed is 30, you get 45. On my street, a similar residential/connector street, 25 gets us 40, with occasional 50 and one idiot motorcycle that passes at 60 if he gets the light just above us. But you can't punish all for the sins of a few. I don't want speed bumps, speed bumps are almost a punishment for those who live on a street. The solution is better traffic enforcement, and I would support a crosswalk or two. No study is needed, it is clear where to put them, and the cost of striping and a few signs can easily be absorbed by the city.
Mike
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:23 p.m.
If you go on just about any side street you will witness speeding. If you have twice or three times the traffic on your street you will most likely witness that multiple of additional speeding.............
aanative
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:54 p.m.
Okay, a problem has been identified on one stretch of one road, and residents want relief. But what then? Drivers speed on Dexter where there are HOUSES - put in traffic calming. Drivers speed on Stadium (or Huron or Miller or Division or Plymouth...) where there are houses and kids. Is the solution really more traffic calming? Where does this end?? Everyone needs to embrace a law-abiding mentality and just drive the posted limit.
mgoscottie
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:43 p.m.
It's not an enforcement problem, it is a bad driver problem.
teeters
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:26 p.m.
Exactly, the issue is not the speed limit, its the enforcement of the speed limit!
Ann E.
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:49 p.m.
Seventh Street collects the students traveling to Pioneer and serves as an arterie to take them to school. When I had a child going to Pioneer, there were many mornings I wished for a trolley/streetcar to get him from one end of Seventh to the other. (There is bumper to bumper traffic at school time.) The city bus worked well for his return home. While not an excuse for speeding, the tardy bell waits for no one.
Jim Walker
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:46 p.m.
Several points. 1) The 85th percentile speed is 35 mph which is not excessive for an urban collector. 1a) Regardless of how the limits are set, there will always be a few idiots that are far above the safe speed levels, like the quoted 51 and 54 mph vehicles - but the 85th at 35 is not unreasonable. 2) It would be likely to improve safety and smooth traffic flow if the limit were 35 instead of 30. in most cases safety improves if the limit is set to the 85th percentile speed to reduce speed variance. 3) With the limit set at 30 mph, the posted limit is just barely within 5 mph of the 85th percentile speed as required by the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) which all states must use. 4) If posted at 25 without changing the character of the street, the limit would violate the MUTCD and would likely increase accident risks. It would also NOT change the actual travel speeds. 5) Most of Ann Arbor's collectors and arterials have posted limits which are set below the levels required by state law. Speeding tickets can be challenged in court and many of those tickets will be dismissed if the arguments are presented about the city NOT being in compliance with Public Law 85 of 2006. 6) It is important to note there were no pedestrian crashes. Fixing non-existent "problems" is wrong. 7) The use of STOP signs for speed control is improper and violates the MUTCD. 8) There could be ways to change the character of the street so that drivers would feel less comfortable at speeds over 30 mph, but the use of severe traffic calming measures like speed bumps is not proper on urban collectors that are need to move traffic across the city. James C. Walker, National Motorists Association, Ann Arbor
teeters
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:24 p.m.
However, State and local governments typically have the authority to change the limits by establishing speed zones, with posted speed limits lower than the statutory maximum, for highway or street sections where statutory limits do not fit specific road or traffic conditions. An engineering study is required for setting the limit for altered speed zones. The engineering study takes into consideration such factors as operating speeds of free-flowing traffic, crash experience, roadside development, roadway geometry, parking, and pedestrian traffic. Would at 100% residential street (minus a park, church and school) fit this criteria Jim?
Billy
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:19 p.m.
Very well put sir.
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:14 p.m.
Have you been to the site to actually see the issues? I think your opinion would change if you had children in this environment...just look at the video - https://www.facebook.com/groups/SOS.SafetyonSeventhSt/ I know we have laws and regulations...but somtimes we must use common sense. Let's wait until someone is injured???
hmsp
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:44 p.m.
Re the kerfuffle concerning "collector" vs. "arterial:" I first learned the use of the words "artery" and "arterial" to describe streets when my mother commented that 7th was the only N-S artery between Main and Stadium. That was 50-plus years ago. Of course, Miller to Stadium was a much, much higher percentage of Ann Arbor's N-S girth back then, but still, people are going to use common-sense language based on their own observations and personal experience. 7th IS arterial, in the common use of the word -- if you are driving from Mack School to a football game at Pioneer, that's a two-mile drive up 7th, plenty long enough for folks to call it "arterial." If you stick to the officially-arterial route of Miller/Maple/Stadium, the drive is more than twice that. Bad route. And you'd have to be nuts to do what Google Maps tells me to do: drive down Miller to Main, and battle your way through downtown. No townie would do that, of course -- they'd dodge downtown-Main by turning South on First. And then you're trying to turn an even smaller street into an artery! Like it or not, 7th IS used as an important artery here in Ann Arbor, whatever Google or the MDOT manual says. That does not mean the there is no problem to address, though. What would the AAPD say to tightening-up the "9-over" slack they give drivers? 9 over is one thing out by the Big House and Chrysler -- if I'm doing 43 or so out there, and I see radar, I don't even tap the brakes. No danger of a ticket at all. But doing 40 on 7th is WAY fast! How about 6.5 over gets you a ticket? What do you think, AAPD?
Dirty Mouth
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:40 p.m.
Chris Hewett clearly has no understanding of what a roadway with a double yellow line means (to drivers) in the Michigan vernacular. If the goal is to reduce the speed of traffic on Seventh avenue then the city should repeal the double yellow line designation, place obstacles on the roadway such as speed bumps and planters to slow traffic down, but to simply whine about it is pointless.
Dirty Mouth
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:59 p.m.
uabchris, far from it. I drive the speed limit that is posted. I also ride my bicycle on the sidewalk because I do not have a death wish. I still think actions speak louder than words and I for one would welcome lower speed limits or redesign of the Seventh avenue roadway.
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:19 p.m.
So Dirty Mouth, just because you have a double yellow line it gives you the right to do 50mph in a 100% residential area? Please see the site for "documented" issues - https://www.facebook.com/groups/SOS.SafetyonSeventhSt/
Tesla
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:47 p.m.
I'm not in his corner but to his credit and defense he is doing more than whining. He's doing as good a job as he can to get his message out and doing so from several different angles.
Robert Minge?
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:40 p.m.
If the 85th percentile speed is 35 mph then the speed limit should be increased to 35 mph, that is a fair assessment of what a good speed for that area is, having a posted speed below the 85th percentile mark is like asking people to speed in their neighborhoods. As a general rule there is a certain speed people are willing to go (aside from a select few who will always speed regardless what the limit is) regardless of what the speed limit says, which is generally speaking a safe speed and works good as a limit. Lowering the speed limit would have little to no noticeable effect when the current speed limit is already low.
Jake C
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:35 p.m.
@teeters: "Then when it's up to 35, the 85th goes to 40. Therefore we should increase the speed limit to 40. The the 85th will increase to 45." Traffic speed does not work that way. If you raised the speed limit on 7th to 70 MPH, the 85th percentile would almost certainly stay right around 35 MPH.
Steve Bean
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:52 p.m.
That logic applies for automobile safety, not for pedestrian safety and crossing ability, residential noise levels, or other relevant factors. It also ignores alternative approaches that would lower the 85th percentile speed without changing the current speed limit, such as the possibilities that Matt Grocoff offered.
teeters
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:19 p.m.
Then when it's up to 35, the 85th goes to 40. Therefore we should increase the speed limit to 40. The the 85th will increase to 45. By your math and logic, Seventh will become the new autoban. The speed limit does not need to be changed, what needs changing is enforcement of the speed limit.
Jim Walker
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:51 p.m.
Correct, Robert Minge? James C. Walker, National Motorists Association
conairaa
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:14 p.m.
Speeding on residential streets is not unique to Seventh. My street is not any major artery that connects a major street to a major street, so it's mostly the residents of our neighborhood who are the offenders. I've lived there for almost 20 years and continue to ask for enforcement tools--speed bumps, police presence... Surprising the worst offenders are mothers with kids in their vehicles and school buses.
Tesla
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:18 p.m.
No kidding. Go sit on Covington for a few minutes and watch all the parents and school teachers flying by. I was by there the other day and they had something called Safety Town going on at the school for the kids. I almost got run down by people leaving the thing with their kids.
Tesla
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:06 p.m.
They should put an old cop car down there with a fake policeman dummy in the drivers seat like Saline used to pull down by Wellers on Michigan years ago. One day I drove by and the dummy cop had fallen over and his face was plastered against the side window and his hat was all crooked. It was hilarious.
TinyArtist
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:49 p.m.
That was the day they used a real one.
Tesla
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3 p.m.
lol....
lucinda walsh
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:54 p.m.
Thanks for the image.
Tesla
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:49 p.m.
No but I wanted so bad to stop and put a suction cup "phallic shaped device" on the window. lol
Goober
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:42 p.m.
Did he have a plastic donut?
lucinda walsh
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:36 p.m.
BTW, I just recalled the fake cop in my old town even had a name--"Officer Fakey".
lucinda walsh
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:34 p.m.
Thanks for the image.
Dog Guy
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:02 p.m.
"Someone has been driving on MY street," said Papa Bear. "It's probably that blonde again."
MRunner73
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:58 p.m.
What is the big deal? 7th Street is busiest during rush hour, duh? If anything, speeds tend to be slowler because of the higher traffic volumes. I drove north on 7th during a Friday PM, recently and could go no faster than 30, maybe 35 mph. As for the 124 foot elevation drop northbound, yes, one would need to ride the brakes. How about southbound from West Liberty to Pauline? It is then uphill, so it goes both ways. Here's a simple solution: police presence pulled off in on of the commercial driveways, with a radar gun, like at a church, and start nabbing the speeders. Do that for few month or two and word will be out the 7th is a police speed trap. I really feel that this solution would be far more effective. We don't need any speed bumps, traffic lights nor pedestrian crossings every 100 yards along the road. As for crossing during rush hour, just a bad time of day. BTW; I run up and down 7th from Madison to Pauline most weekdays in non rush hour times and it is more like a residential street with very light traffic volumes.
Jon Saalberg
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:55 p.m.
Seventh has the benefit, for north-south travelers, of having no traffic lights from Liberty to Pauline. It seems like an unwise plan to slow traffic on a main arterial flow. I do not agree with the claims that traffic often moves at 40 mph on this stretch - driving it virtually every day, I see far too much traffic on this stretch to maintain anything approaching 40 mph. The city's traffic analysis clearly shows the majority of cars traveling Seventh are going far below 40 mph. As for crossing the roadway on foot, a good idea would be to put in crosswalks, as been done on other roadways, such as Huron, Plymouth, and Miller.
teeters
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 10:33 p.m.
If we want to be technical, churches, schools and parks are considered residential non-commercial properties, so yes it's 100%. If I had not mentioned them some other troller would have brought them up, never win on a blog.
M-Wolverine
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:28 p.m.
Can something be "100%" with a "besides"....?
Brad
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:18 p.m.
So many people ready to reconfigure our city for their preferences.
teeters
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:16 p.m.
Anything over 30 is too fast. Go to Main or Maple if you want to get across the city, those are main arterial streets. Seventh is 100% residential (besides a church a, high school and a park).
Brad
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:19 p.m.
Sure, Facebook is well known as a totally objective source of data.
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:10 p.m.
Jon, go to the SOS site and look at the radar images and time stamps...it IS frequent!
MRunner73
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2 p.m.
There are too many and they seem to be 100 yards apart. I would however expect there will be additional cross walks along 7th Street soon.
shepard145
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:52 p.m.
The problem is not with speeding, it's that the speed limit is too low. Safety will come from parents teaching their kids not to cross the street in front of on coming cars. Conversely, if they offer their children detailed explanations of their rights under the latest AA crank ordinance that says they can cross in front of a 3000#, and it's the vehicles fault if they get hit, then problems are likely to ensue. The common challenge appears to be common sense all around. Problem solved (sweeps arms), now residents can go find something else to complain about.
shepard145
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 7:09 p.m.
Ps. If your kid gets hit by a car going 5 mph, he is still going to be plenty messed up. ...and that does happen. Speed does not matter either way.
shepard145
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 7:09 p.m.
You must be missing something, or do you want to argue with the fact that if your kid does not walk in front of a speeding car, he's not going to get killed by one? LOL ....common sense - not something AA is well acquainted with. Speed does not matter.
TinyArtist
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:47 p.m.
You have to admit it, folks, this is the simplest solution of all, though overly wordy and inelegantly stated. In this scenario, the raised, not the lowered, is our Shepard.
teeters
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:12 p.m.
Are you kidding me! The is a residential street, there is NOT ONE single business on this road. If you want to get to Stadium or Huron then take Main or Maple. Oh no, is this a couple minutes out of your way? It's sad that your time is more valuable than the safety of others.
Joel A. Levitt
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:19 p.m.
There are many nonsolutions and at least one that might work and in part pay for itself. Since we have refused to pay more in taxes and since Headlee is still part of Michigan Constitution, we already have too few police officers to increase the number assigned to speed limit enforcement. Since our streets are already inadequate to due to the increased traffic burden, speed bumps, more traffic lights and narrower lanes are bad ideas. One thing that might work would be to install automatic radar speed detectors and photographic devices for recording the identity of speeders. The cost would be partly offset by the increase in the number of drivers fined for speeding.
SonnyDog09
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 9:46 p.m.
The liberal solution for every problem is to raise taxes or to increase fines. It is a basic reflex for them.
Basic Bob
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 7:07 p.m.
@Joel, The state law is very specific about how speeding tickets may be given. It is also clear that cameras may be placed at railroad crossings and tickets given automatically in that specific case. In the future, our legislature may decide to change the law, but until then our police departments are expected to enforce the law as it is. They are not empowered by state law to simply put up unmanned cameras and mail out tickets to motorists. Every one of these tickets would be contested in court and would be dismissed. Who eats the cost? I think it might be useful to mail out warnings to those motorists to modify behavior, but it would not be the cash cow we see in Toledo for instance.
Joel A. Levitt
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:04 p.m.
Basic Bob, Attorney General Cox' 2007 opinion (http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/15/1582.asp) that the use of such devices conflicts with provisions of the Michigan Constitution rests on the idea that it would create a presumption that the person accused of violating traffic laws was guilty (http://www.heritage.com/articles/2013/06/14/opinion/doc51bb25281c36c269384102.txt). This makes no sense to me. The accused will continue to be presumed innocent. The photographic record is evidence like all other evidence, e.g., properly warranted phone tap recordings, and it will be the responsibility of the state to show that the violation detecting and recording system was in good working order and that there has not been any tampering with the record.
Basic Bob
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:59 p.m.
Unmanned speeding and stop light traffic cameras are illegal in Michigan.
Craig Lounsbury
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:18 p.m.
Looking at that last picture before the video I can't imagine I would ever find myself using my left turn rights as a cyclist with a child in tow.
a2cents
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:42 p.m.
Left turns are hairy on a bike. It's a nice time to use a x-walk, but if there are none...
Brad
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:58 p.m.
The objective traffic study data from the city would indicate that there really isn't a big problem. So are we going to believe that or the anecdotes about "race tracks", "aggressive driving" and the like? The data doesn't seem to support those allegations.
Robert Granville
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:52 p.m.
If your post starts with: while I have no issue with speed enforcement but or I respect his speed concerns but... and then continues to blame the resident for having the audacity to live on Seventh, you probably don't actually care about the speeding at all. Just say that you weigh your ability to travel at a high speed as more important than resident concerns. It's obvious that you do.
Brad
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:04 p.m.
Well I LIVE IN town but have to sometimes drive THROUGH other parts of town to get there. And yes, I'd prefer to do that efficiently without being encumbered by speed bumps and artificially low speed limits.
a2citizen
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:52 p.m.
I do not defend speeders. The answer IS enforcement. The police were handing out tickets at a rate of one every 20 minutes. That's about $300 per hour. Why did they stop? Good luck getting entitled, ann arbor liberals to slow down. You understand their thought process far better than I.
timjbd
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:45 p.m.
People who drive THROUGH town feel entitled to do so- unencumbered- even at the expense/risk of those who LIVE IN the town. As the posts here demonstrate. Cars are their own bubble mentality.
Tesla
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:20 p.m.
The basis of your rant is true given the fact that we place folks like Mr. Hewitt on a pedastal and he can prove he never ever ever speeds. Of course he doesn't and no one does. lol We all speed now and then. No need to go all fascist with speed bumps video cameras facebook groups hassling reporters to do my story and being a pain at city council meetings. What about it Mr. Hewitt? Care to share your driving record with the folks?
a2 Brute?
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:16 p.m.
If your post starts with, "If your post starts with..." the only thing obvious is how your post ends.
MMB95
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:15 p.m.
Exactly. The main problem here seems to be an entitlement mentality on the part of the speeders and those who defend them.
Brad
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:44 p.m.
"A bicyclist with child in tow waits to turn left off of Seventh Street during busy afternoon rush hour traffic." Oh yes - just look at those TWO oncoming cars. It's gridlock!
tazna2
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:43 p.m.
The speed limit is proper for this artery
Linda Peck
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:41 p.m.
There is no reason to be flying down any of our city streets at 40 or 45 miles per hour. The neighborhood streets are 25 or 30 miles per hour speed limits which is fast enough to stop if a child runs out or a squirrel. Any effort to reduce exceeding the speed limits on our streets would be appreciated, Seventh Street or any other of the streets. Let's do it neighbors. Besides having a direct police intervention, our own intervention can be simply driving the speed limits already in place.
LourdesG
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:39 p.m.
According to the World Health Organization pedestrians have a 50% chance to survive an impact at 45 km/h or 27.96 mph and almost no chance of surviving an impact at 80 km/h or 49.79 mph. http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/publications/road_traffic/world_report/speed_en.pdf
Tesla
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:41 p.m.
I can not believe that there is a guy on a bike with his child in a trailer driving down the middle of 7th in traffic. If I was a cop I'd give him a ticket and call social services right then and there. What poor judgment. I wonder what his wifes gonna say when she sees that photo....lol
Tano
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:03 p.m.
Its called natural selection. It may not be fair to the kid, but s/he probably is carrying the same intelligence genes as dad, so....
Usual Suspect
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:13 p.m.
It doesn't matter if it's safe or if it puts their kid in danger. All that matters is showing people that they're bicycling and you're not.
Local Yocal
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:17 p.m.
I've often wondered about people riding on downtown and busy streets with children in bike trailers. There is absolutely no protection for that child if there was a accident or collision.
mgoscottie
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:40 p.m.
Social services? Wow....
TinyArtist
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:38 p.m.
The cyclist is obeying the law. No mindless 'lol' need be employed here.
Tesla
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:28 p.m.
Trying to make a left hand turn with his little bike and infant as 4000 lb cars whiz by at outrageous high speeds. If anyone thinks this is wise you need your head examined.
lynel
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:20 p.m.
He's not riding down the middle of the street, he is trying to make a left-hand turn.
AAdoglover
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:37 p.m.
I live on a quiet residential street that is not arterial to anywhere and STILL have aggressive drivers who honk, speed and do all the aggressive driving habits that plague the seventh street residents. The city finally added traffic humps! They have worked but we need more if these!
Jim Osborn
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:37 p.m.
How about some enforcement on Brandywine? We get speeders and even commercial trucks such as a 42 wheel gravel train (which is illegal. While I've asked for police enforcement, so far it has fallen on deaf ears. For some reason, the city has directed the Ann Rbor Police to enforce the low 35 MPH limit on State Street by the car dealers or on Main past Pioneer High School on a lightly traveled weekend morning instead of the 25 MPH limit past homes on a residential area, when residential areas are so much more important, and shuld be their focus. Mr. Mayor, Why?
Fred Pettit
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:38 p.m.
The Mayor doesn't care, he rides a bike and wants you to ride one too!
DJBudSonic
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:51 p.m.
It is going to be all gravel haulers soon enough as Mr. Mayor and his council and planning cohorts continue to push hgh rise downtown development.
Eddie
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:26 p.m.
I understand the concern, but how much homework did you do before moving into your location? And how long have you lived in A2? It is what it is, and the city can not change traffic flow just for your city block. For a good time in the 5th ward take your radar gun to the corner of Newport and Westport and watch school busses full of children go 50mph in a 25mph.
Bulldog5
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:25 p.m.
When I drive S. Seventh, which is rare, I am always surprised by how high the speed limit is since clearly it is a residential street. It also so happens to be an arterial road running north all the way over to Miller. That is why when we fell in love with a house on S. Seventh we did not buy it. Even though it was right across the street from the park, we did not want to deal with that traffic. Now I have to worry about the residential road that we DID buy on. It has nothing to suggest the arterial nature of the road that S. Seventh is, but geographically it does connect Washtenaw Ave. and Packard Rd. And, like Mr. Hewett, we get honked at for turning into our driveway. Guests who park on the street fear for their lives when crossing over to our home. Cars slightly over the center when cresting the hills, come close to hitting cars from the other direction and horns are blared at each other. From casual observation, about 15% of the cars roll through the four way stop signs. Then speed up.... I always said that I would not buy a house that was on the path to a school, because this is the kind of driving behavior that I saw in those locations as parents raced to get their kids to school, or pick them up, in time. But I totally missed that this little neighborhood, made up completely of residential streets, would be such a high speed thoroughfare. So I feel for Mr. Hewett - and anyone who has to deal with this kind of driving where they live. IF it is residential at all: Just SLow Down!
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:20 p.m.
Johnnya2 - Huron is a BUSINESS route...7th is 100 RESIDENTIAL...
johnnya2
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:51 p.m.
Huron is a residential street. So is Washtenaw. Should these be lowered to 25 MPH as well?
northside
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:25 p.m.
Seems like there are some relatively simple things - lowering the speed limit to 25, basic traffic calming measures, better enforcement of speeding - that can be done to alleviate the problem. I wish the group the best.
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:21 p.m.
Disgusting that you were voted down for this comment...
mgoscottie
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:24 p.m.
No one cares about being 3 seconds late, it's almost always an issue of rude and courtesy that make others mad. I would be upset if someone did not use their turn signal, not because they turned. Ditto if they come to a stop before turning.
M-Wolverine
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:36 p.m.
Exactly. I've never seen anyone honked at for signaling well in advance, slowing down at a reasonable pace (not going 10 below the speed limit for a block or laming on your brakes and turning), then turning into a driveway faster than 1 mile an hour. Most of the time it's brake, slow down, turn signal, brake again, turn (which is even worse with a turn lane they wait till the last second to get into). The turn signal is suppose to warn that you're going to brake, but a lot of people don't get that.
Bulldog5
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:37 p.m.
Hhhm. That is annoying. However, I can tell you that I am a big believer of turn signal use, and always use it when turning into my driveway. That is why it seems like the only reason someone might be honking at you is that it is somehow slowing them down.
Vivienne Armentrout
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:20 p.m.
I agree about the aggressive driving. I've lived a number of places and Michigan has the most impatient drivers I have ever experienced. I am always careful to drive at the speed limit on Miller, for example, and inevitably this means that someone is tailgating me, wondering how I can be keeping them from escaping the city. But I don't agree with the strategy of reducing speed on 7th to get people to drive at a safe speed. If the speed limit is 30, that should be adequate - if it is enforced. The idea of reducing to 20 or 25 in order to make people drive 30 or 35 is bad law. You should not be expecting people to break the law. People like me will try to drive the actual speed limit, which will make others even more impatient. I do think that a pedestrian crosswalk in the Jefferson area (or Madison, if that is what more people use as a crossing location) should be merited. I've seen people trying to cross there. Perhaps it could even have flashing lights like the ones at 7th and Washington, which seem to be working well. When traffic is dense and some people are impatient, it is difficult for drivers (like me) to stop for pedestrians without both some notice and a sense of expectation. Another important point is that speed signs need to be frequent enough so that drivers are reminded of the speed limit. I'd have guessed that the speed limit on 7th was 35 now. That would make it similar to some other major streets. If it is 30, that needs to be posted several places.
Arieswoman
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:20 p.m.
@Linda Peck There is a stretch that is 25 MPH. So it is not 30 MPH all the way from Stadium. I know as I drive it once a week.
Vivienne Armentrout
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:20 p.m.
That is good to know and I assume that I have adjusted my speed accordingly when I see the signs. I really do try to obey speed limits. But the signage needs to be there, rather than expecting people to know what the limit is.
Linda Peck
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:45 p.m.
The speed limit on Seventh is 30 miles per hour and has been for as long as I can remember, the same for Liberty Street. These speed limits are appropriate for their locations, not 35. These are two-lane residential areas.
timjbd
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:17 p.m.
I think on-street parking would solve the problem eventually. You have to somehow get people to leave their cars at home and take public transport or ride their bikes. Obviously that's not popular in Michigan, where people destroy roads with over-motoring, then get enraged that the roads are not well kept. You cannot please a pissed off car driver. And now that the ability to text or surf the internet has been added to their God-given driving experience, you're just asking for tragedy by mixing bikes and pedestrians into rush hour traffic. So the answer is to make driving to work the LEAST attractive option. Starting with aggressive enforcement of the current speed limit.
Scott Kett
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:03 p.m.
another pie in the sky, common sense lacking answer...1) if people parked on 7th that would lead to even more accidents with less room for pedestrians and bikers 2) cars don't destroy roads - the weather does 3) Michigan was simply was not designed for mass transit - it's a great idea in theory, but just wouldn't work here.
Steve Bean
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:37 p.m.
There's no space for parking. The street is two lanes in most sections.
Stan Hyne
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:47 p.m.
Taking the bus only works if you are going to where the bus goes. If you are going to a area with no bus service.........
timjbd
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:40 p.m.
That's why I added "eventually."
Bulldog5
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:31 p.m.
In my experience, on-street parking on a busy residential road does nothing but endanger the one who has parked there.
fjord
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:11 p.m.
The speed limit on South Seventh should be 35 instead of 30 (as someone else mentioned, it's an arterial street). At the same time, there should be a couple of well-placed crosswalks with islands, and maybe a stop sign at Madison. I also think the "your speed" signs should be permanent fixtures, and the AAPD should make South Seventh a priority for speed enforcement (but again, at 35, not 30). If it's notorious as a speed trap, locals will treat it as such.
fjord
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:23 p.m.
KJMClark, there's the "official" line and then there's reality. The officials want to call it a collector, but in practice it's an artery. My reading comprehension is just fine. Your grip on reality, on the other hand...
Fred Pettit
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:27 p.m.
Furthermore KJMClark, Mr. Cooper is part of a conspiracy that is responsible for traffic congestion around Ann Arbor. Can you say "No Right Turn on Red" sure ya can. I thought this city was in favor about reducing carbon footprints but the Traffic Dept. of the city has done everything it can to make us spend more time at intersections. If he was managing the dept. when the intersection of South Maple and Stadium was re-designed, he should be fired!
Jim Walker
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:48 p.m.
Correct, fjord. James C. Walker, National Motorists Association, Ann Arbor
deb
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:32 p.m.
KJ- Just because you or Mr. Cooper classifies an object or anything as something does not make it so. I can call a dog a cat, but that does not make the dog a cat.
KJMClark
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:51 p.m.
"Eli Cooper, the city's transportation program manager, observed that Seventh Street is a major collector street that goes from the northern third of the city to the southern third of the city. "It's primarily a residential road, but it connects many pieces of the transportation network, and that's why drivers use it more than a local residential street," he said." The reading comprehension around here. It's *not* an arterial. It's a collector.
Barzoom
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:11 p.m.
Seventh Street is one of the few major north-south routes available to motorists. It is a busy street, especially during rush hour. Installing stop signs or cross walks will create large traffic backups. Property owners on 7th street bought their houses knowing that 7th is a busy street during rush hour. It's like buying a home near an airport and complaining about the noise.
Brad
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 7:28 p.m.
I say it's a straw man doing the aggressive driving and honking. Prove it isn't. See how incredibly silly that sounds?
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:25 p.m.
Fred, plenty of documentation at the SOS site...
Steve Bean
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:45 p.m.
No, Fred, I can't back it up, because I'm not the one making the case. But then you can't prove that it doesn't exist, can you? Another straw man argument.
Fred Pettit
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:21 p.m.
"Aggressive" driving? Really? Can you back that up with some statistics or something other than one guy with a camera and an attitude?
Steve Bean
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:35 p.m.
Another "busy street" straw man. The issue is "speeding and aggressive driving".
walker101
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 11:47 a.m.
Chris you are correct this area and the rest in Michigan have the worst drivers I've every seen, been here 5 years from the West coast and they probably have the highest fatality rate anywhere in the US due to mostly excessive speed. Since enforcement or lack of is almost non existent what would you expect. If you want to reduce speeders start by issuing tickets and charge accordingly by increasing fines, it hurts the most when it comes from the pocket, just ask Californians.
Mike
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 10:41 p.m.
Walker101 Sounds like a college course. Think you should hone up on your stats some. Lived in California, could not get up enough speed to merge onto the freeways fast enough. Lived in Florida, couldn't get the ole lady in front of me going fast enough to get on the freeway. Texas, if you do the speed limit you better be on the shoulder of the road. The only thing you said that is right is start passing out tickets to those that exceed the speed limits. I seldom use 7th street but next time I do, I will travel the full distance 1 mile below the limit, see who I can tick off.
TinyArtist
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:29 p.m.
Reread Mr. Walker's manifest. The fatality statistics are for the west coast, a fact which does not lend credence to his argument.
Fat Bill
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:58 p.m.
I learned to drive in the Portland, Oregon area...west coast drivers are just as aggressive and the terrain is far more challenging than around here. I think aggressive driving has more to do with busy lifestyles than regional differences.
Craig Lounsbury
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:52 p.m.
actually Michigan ranks below the national average for fatalities, not even close to the top.
seldon
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:45 p.m.
That fatality statistic? You're making it up. We do not.
motorcycleminer
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 11:36 a.m.
Sadly Mr. hewett like the people who buy behind the airport and on huron st. etc.etc. should do their homework first..Mr Kershners comment answered most of this problem .. "street squeezing " for bicycle, donkey, skateboard and all the other " non motorized " traffic forces drivers to use " plan B's " ..just wait till they do huron st and the rest of Stadium, Packard etc..all the quiet little side streets will have the unwelcomed addition of the daily rush courtesy of our city's narrow minded ( no pun intended ) " planners "....
Ryan J. Stanton
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 11:33 a.m.
If you check out the Safety on Seventh Facebook page, you'll see Seventh Street resident Matt Grocoff has tossed out a number of ideas for getting cars to slow down, ranging from fake speed bumps to small traffic circles. He also argues some communities have seen success removing signs and traffic signals and replacing them with better "behavioral economics infrastructure" http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2011/09/shared-spaces/116/ Grocoff says fewer signs, more flowers, narrower lanes, and dedicated bike paths (raised from car-level pavement) would slow cars yet allow drivers to get from Miller to Scio Church in less time. He says cars would travel slower but never need to stop unless they see a pedestrian. He also shared this story about Lake Shore Drive in Chicago: http://nudges.org/?s=lake+shore+drive What do you think about these ideas?
amlive
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:51 p.m.
I've heard of other communities and even individual property owners putting up fake cardboard patrol cars or life size dry-mounted printouts of officers with a radar. One community in Wisconsin was reported to occasionally swap out the fake officer for a real one to keep regulars who learned the trick on their toes. I don't know how effective the strategies were, but it seems a pretty low cost project to try out with potentially significant results (though I don't know if it's an ideal long term solution).
Vivienne Armentrout
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:28 p.m.
I loved the imitation speed bumps - optical illusions. Maybe it would help wake up drivers. Maybe some of the public art dollars withheld from road millage money could be used to create effects along the road that would slow people down.
Brad
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:36 p.m.
From the city's traffic studies it doesn't sound like there's really much of a problem. What do you think about doing nothing about it and letting it remain as one of the ways to get through town? I like the one quote from the 1971 OWS Assn: "One of the major threats to the coherence of the Old West Side is the automobile," So even back then they were overly dramatic.
a2terri
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:21 p.m.
Both ideas are warrant more consideration. I especially like the concept of nudges as they could be relatively inexpensive and quick to try. The idea of the slowly narrowing lines is a great one - a helpful visual cue that goes beyond language.
timjbd
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:08 p.m.
I like the Dutch idea of removing signage but I may only like it in Europe. Drivers there do not have the same sense of entitlement that drivers here do. Something like this may work in the downtown (at the Liberty/State intersection, for instance) but along 7th, I think it might just exacerbate the problem. That downhill run is just too compelling for aggressive drivers late for work.
thinker
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 11:18 a.m.
Why do people buy house on a major traffic artery anyway, if they want peace and quiet and a bucolic living experience? I agree cars should travel safely, but common sense when buying a house is the resident's responsibility.
uabchris
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 6:29 p.m.
Thinker - how about the Business routes (Stadium, Main, Huron)...NOT 100% residential streets...
johnnya2
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:47 p.m.
@ KLM, How a road was INTENDED for use does not matter. Its ACTUAL use it what matters. Seventh is an artery in practice. You can call it whatever the hell you want. It does not change reality.
thinker
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:07 p.m.
@KMJClark-how are people supposed to travel from the north side of Ann Arbor to the south? What you said makes no sense.
KJMClark
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:47 p.m.
Please re-read the article. It's not an arterial street - it's a collector. Collectors aren't supposed to be for through traffic. They're supposed to collect traffic from local streets to be moved to an arterial. If there are people using the road that aren't coming from or going to a house in the adjacent streets, there's a problem.
MMB95
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:06 p.m.
Maybe they really liked the house? Maybe it's all they could afford? Maybe they inherited the house? Not everyone can pick and choose the perfect location for a home. Anyway, just because it's on a "major traffic artery" doesn't mean they should just have to accept people breaking the speed limit.
BernieP
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 11:10 a.m.
Cheers to Mr. Hewitt ! This effort needs to be extended to all the backstreet bypasses of the traffic control devices in this city. Too many cars speeding through residential neighborhoods --- especially at the morning and evening rush !!! Too many commercial vehicles passing up and down these non truck routes as well.
Steve Bean
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:27 p.m.
local, no one's complaining about traffic volume, just (from the article) "speeding and aggressive driving".
local
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 11:53 a.m.
If Ann Arbor could get main roads flowing better, less people would be using side roads to get around town. The flow of traffic in Ann Arbor on main arteries is terrible making travel times significantly longer, thus people look for alternative "public" side streets to get around the congestion.
Nerak
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 11:06 a.m.
Lowering the speed and putting in unwarranted stop signs will not work, especially if people already speed and blow through stop signs. Bump outs help, and even more so, small traffic circles at one or two key intersections. Putting parking along one side of the street also would be effective.
Chimay
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 11:04 a.m.
Aggressive driving? Clearly he's never driven in Boston, or NY, or Philly, or DC ... essentially anywhere on the 95 corridor.
MMB95
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:01 p.m.
Boston or anywhere near there is crazy when it comes to driving. I was in Providence and am so glad I didn't have to drive because what I saw was just insane.
aa1940
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 10:51 a.m.
Mr. Hewett states in his video that "he would like to work with the city" . The question should be is the city willing to work with him. Speed Calming who will ever forget that wonderful program our city govt. spent how much $$ on ? And the results of speed calming ???
Claude Kershner
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 10:44 a.m.
7th street is a great alternative to the sedating numbness and crawling frustration of Stadium. Two cars driving side by side below the speed limit with a string of cars behind them occurs daily! I'm against reckless speeding but taking action steps to make 7th street a slower street is a mistake. Enforce the speed laws that exist.
Bryan Ellinger
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:31 p.m.
If youpay attention, you'll notice that driving any faster than about 25mph on Stadium between Jackson and Main is pointless due to the traffic light timing. Most motorists evidently fail to look any further down the road than the car directly in front of them. Hurry up and wait, is their M.O..
Martha Cojelona Gratis
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:15 p.m.
@KJMClark: I can't stand drivers like you. Just take the bus.
PattyinYpsi
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:13 p.m.
@KJMClark: There is something wrong with cars in the passing lane dawdling for miles on end. Drivers behind them become frustrated, they start making dangerous lane changes, they tailgate, and the results are all too common. Yes, the speed limit is the limit, not a suggestion, but for the sake of safety and traffic flow, stay out of the passing lane unless you're..you know...passing. Or about to make a left turn.
KJMClark
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:44 p.m.
You realize that the posted speed limit is a maximum, right? There's nothing wrong with traveling a little below that posted maximum, but any speed above it is illegal.
a2citizen
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 10:36 a.m.
While respecting his complaints I wonder why Hewett didn't notice the traffic when he was house hunting.
Homeland Conspiracy
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:54 p.m.
Funny I thought he was talking more about the speed of the traffic & not the amount of traffic... Maybe I need to reread the piece.
Fred Pettit
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 4:07 p.m.
To Mr. Granville, 7th is hardly a "side" street. Mr. Hewett should have expected a lot of traffic on Seventh. I agree that drivers should obey the speed limit but if Mr. Hewett is surprised by the amount of traffic he didn't do his homework before purchasing the house.
a2citizen
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 1:03 p.m.
On the face of it your answer drips of the smugness I have come to expect from a2 denizens. Your defense is, however, ridiculous. By the way, I have used 7th (probably) twice in the last 15 years.
Robert Granville
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:47 p.m.
The answer is obvious.... he wasn't there anywhere near as often during the hunt.
Chip Reed
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 10:27 a.m.
There aren't many other streets between Main and Maple that go north and south for people to use that go through.
Steve Bean
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:22 p.m.
Traffic volume isn't the issue, speed is.
Arieswoman
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 10:27 a.m.
I travel Seventh once a week. I do this in the morning so do not see much speeding. The speed limit changes as I progress to Miller. I am careful to maintain the speed limit as I know I am in a residential neighborhood. I don't care for calming bumps and don't think that is the answer.
Homeland Conspiracy
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 5:50 p.m.
calming bump? is this the new PC way of saying Speed bumps?
Fat Bill
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 10:12 a.m.
While I have no issue with residents wanting existing speed limits enforced, Seventh is an arterial street. Lowering the speed limit and putting in bumps or curbs defeats the purpose. Mr. Hewett might consider moving to a side street. This is rather like people moving to Romulus and then complaining about air traffic...
Mike
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 10:20 p.m.
Sorry Fat Bill... It is never wrong to expect that the laws to be enforced. Enforcement of the speed laws should be a natural thing. When you choose to exceed the limits you are subject to detection, tickets, fines and court costs. Insurance premiums increased, and license suspension if done to often. To permit law enforcement or the city to neglect their rightful duty to the community is wrong.
Fred Pettit
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 3:54 p.m.
It doesn't matter whether you call it and "arterial" or "collector", what matters is how it is used. I use it frequently as an arterial from Huron to Stadium as I believe many people do. Let's remember also that the city traffic department has given us the worst traffic congestion I have ever witnessed at the intersection of South Maple and Stadium (south of Jackson Rd.). Whomever designed that "CF" should be fired.
Peregrine
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 2:03 p.m.
From the respective Wikipedia articles: "An arterial road, or arterial thoroughfare, is a high-capacity urban road. The primary function of an arterial road is to deliver traffic from collector roads to freeways, and between urban centres at the highest level of service possible. As such, many arteries are limited-access roads, or feature restrictions on private access." "A collector road or distributor road is a low-to-moderate-capacity road which serves to move traffic from local streets to arterial roads. Unlike arterials, collector roads are designed to provide access to residential properties."
Fat Bill
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:54 p.m.
The street may be listed as a "collector"; most who travel the Old West Side regularly will tell you it has evolved into an "arterial" roadway. Especially on football days.
KJMClark
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:43 p.m.
It's not an arterial, it's a collector. It says that right in the article.
Jim Osborn
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:29 p.m.
The solution is simple. If the Ann Arbor Police make multiple speed traps along Seventh St, locals will catch on and never, ever speed. I'm getting ready to leave for church and know better than to speed on State Street past the car dealers or on Main past Pioneer High School on a Sunday morning. Ditto on East Statium past Tappan middle School. This same logic COULD be applied to areas along 7th St. We do not need speed bumps and other nonsense. just enforcement. Why such concern if someone goes 40 or 45 on Main past PHS and that golfcourse, on a lightly traveled weekend morning when residential areas are so much more important.
a2cents
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 12:28 p.m.
Cars rule, get out of the way!, huh?
Ryan J. Stanton
Sun, Jun 30, 2013 : 11:52 a.m.
Though speed bumps were tossed out as one idea, Hewett himself concedes the road is probably too busy for speed bumps, so I don't think that's on the table.