03/28/2024
Spread the love

by Blake Proctor

With Councilmember Angie Hall excused absent, Mayor Sam Allen called the January 5th meeting to order at 6pm; he provided the invocation, and the Pledge to the Flag was given by those in attendance.

The first order of business was the review and approval of the December 1st meeting minutes and the December finance statement, which were distributed by Town Clerk Tara Nichols. Upon inspection, and without comment, these housekeeping items were quickly dispensed with.

There was a single vexing issue of Old Business to discuss, and therein lay the basis for that “little muss:” the speeding problem on NC Highway 87. The Town has for nearly a year, been trying to get the NC Department of Transportation to lower the speed limit on NC87 from 45mph to 35mph through town.

Mayor Allen contacted NCDOT earlier in the year to, among other things, appeal for a speed limit reduction on that portion of NC87 through town. While garnering responses on the other two inquiries – neither of which were in the Town’s favor – the Mayor had received no word on that request.

The assumption was that there would be no further contact from DOT on the matter; however, in a letter to Ms. Nichols dated December 4 th, Mr. F.D. West, Jr., NCDOT Division Traffic Engineer, informed the Town that a traffic engineering study had been conducted on NC 87 within town between 3 pm November 2, 2020, and 11 pm November 5, 2020, a total of 80 hours.

In his missive, Mr. West stated, in part that, “Data … determined that the 85th percentile of motorists are traveling in excess of the posted 45mph speed limit in both northbound and southbound direction. This type of driver negligence cannot be slowed down by further reducing the speed limit.”

He continued, “The percentage of drivers speeding is creating a problem which a reduced speed limit will not correct. We feel this type of recklessness can be corrected by stricter law enforcement of the existing speed limit.”

Before finishing his letter with the news that his office was recommending no action, Mr. West said, “. . .it is our policy that speed limits on all highways be posted at a maximum safe speed . . . practices of this type [ie., speed limits posted too low – Ed.] cause motorists to lose the needed respect for properly posted speed limits.”

Reporters analysis: With 85% of NC87 traffic through Tar Heel traveling at over 50mph according to the data, with some overnight vehicles boogying over 70mph, this reporter believes they already have lost respect. Is the solution to increase the speed limit?

The question was posed among the Board about Dublin’s posted 35mph limits merely seven miles south of Tar Heel, acknowledging that there may be less traffic in Dublin. Appealing to higher authority was also mentioned. This issue is not yet lost.

In a semi-related New Business item, it was noted that two more no-parking sign poles had gone missing behind the Subway store again. DOT will be approached once more for assistance in providing the poles; Town employees will erect them.

The second item of New Business was the approval of the County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan, itself approved the previous evening by the County Commission. On a motion by Councilmember Mike Underwood and a second by Councilmember Derek Druzak, the Bladen County Hazard Mitigation Plan was adopted unanimously.

Observing that many of the Town’s Christmas lights have observable deficiencies, Mr. Underwood recommended that a long-term program be undertaken to enhance and expand the lights, especially along NC87.

The suggestion was made that all new decorations need to use ED bulbs. He also noted that the “Lost Ornament” at the ice machine missing last month is “still lost.”

With all business concluded for the evening, the meeting adjourned at 6:28 pm.

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