By Bruce Rolfe
The Climax Village Council will research options to discourage speeding in the Village after a monthly traffic data report obtained by the Village revealed a very large number of drivers are entering the Village well over the speed limit.
Climax Village Council Public Safety/Fire Chairman Nick Ludwig said traffic data that tracks traffic patterns in the village, recorded on the website logixoncloud.com, showed there were 16,359 individuals that entered the village on Maple Street from the east in August. The total not only includes vehicles but pedestrians and bicyclists. He said less then 300 were traveling the speed limit in the Village, 25 miles per hour or less. However 605 were traveling 51 miles per hour or more.
The traffic data report notes a staggering 8,600 drivers entering the Village from the east were driving 30-40 miles per hour, over 3,600 drivers were driving 41-45 and approximately 1,800 were driving 46-50 miles per hour. There were 36 drivers entering at 61-65 miles per hour and nine entering at 66-70 miles per hour.
The report was alarming to interim Village President David Miller.
“Excessive speed on East and West Maple has become an intolerable danger to our community. Our contract with the Kalamazoo Sheriff’s Department, paid for with ARPA money, has not slowed drivers enough. We get deputies when they volunteer and at the hours that they are available. We have to implement additional measures,” said Miller, who said he will look into the cost for installing speed bumps.
Ludwig forwarded the information to Captain Bishop of the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department, requesting the Sheriff Department focus on the east side of the Village for direct patrol.
The Village Council has a contract with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department for $40,000 for 40 hours of patrol a month, however unless there is assigned patrol, the hours deputies are in the village are for voluntary overtime. The Village has not received close to the 40 hours a month because of a shortage of officers. The Village is billed monthly for the hours deputies are in the village at $75 per hour.
There was an initial cost for the Village years ago to purchase the traffic monitoring equipment, however there is no ongoing costs for monthly data reports obtained through the logixoncloud.com website.
Village of Climax Will Move Forward with Traffic Count Study
Hoping to Secure Grant to Rebuild Railroad Crossing
With a deadline of September 20 approaching to submit a grant to rebuild the North Main Street railroad crossing, the Climax Village Council has moved forward with a key part to the grant.
Streets/Sidewalks/Census Chairperson Joline Chaney said a traffic count line is in place to determine how many vehicles cross the railroad crossing each day. The traffic count line has been placed just north of the North Main Street railroad crossing.
Chaney said the cost for a traffic count study at both railroad crossings is $1,500, however because only one is needed the cost would be between $150 and $210.
Chaney said an updated estimate to rebuild the North Main Street crossing is $537,678.
She adds if a grant through the annual local grade crossing surface program is successfully obtained, 60 percent of the funding will be covered by the state and the other 40 percent will be covered by Canadian National.
Chaney said the Village was turned down for the grant last year because the Village did not meet traffic count criteria.
—In other items covered at the September 3 meeting:
• There was considerable discussion between the Council and a home owner on the corner of Lovell and Maple Street about flooding that continues to occur in the home owner’s basement because of overflow water from near by catch basins, and water run off on the west side of the residence.
Clean Earth was scheduled to clean out the catch basins near the home and other locations in the village September 4.
Interim President David Miller said he will secure estimates to construct curb and gutter along the east side of Lovell Street.
• With the Council considering three options from West Shore Siren for a weather warning siren, Clerk Linda Coburn is researching whether ARPA funds can be used towards the purchase.
Public Safety/Fire Chairman Nick Ludwig provided three options from West Shore Siren at the August 6 regular meeting ranging from a new weather warning siren at a cost of $28,500 to two used sirens for $18,100 and $13,200.
The Climax Village Council will research options to discourage speeding in the Village after a monthly traffic data report obtained by the Village revealed a very large number of drivers are entering the Village well over the speed limit.
Climax Village Council Public Safety/Fire Chairman Nick Ludwig said traffic data that tracks traffic patterns in the village, recorded on the website logixoncloud.com, showed there were 16,359 individuals that entered the village on Maple Street from the east in August. The total not only includes vehicles but pedestrians and bicyclists. He said less then 300 were traveling the speed limit in the Village, 25 miles per hour or less. However 605 were traveling 51 miles per hour or more.
The traffic data report notes a staggering 8,600 drivers entering the Village from the east were driving 30-40 miles per hour, over 3,600 drivers were driving 41-45 and approximately 1,800 were driving 46-50 miles per hour. There were 36 drivers entering at 61-65 miles per hour and nine entering at 66-70 miles per hour.
The report was alarming to interim Village President David Miller.
“Excessive speed on East and West Maple has become an intolerable danger to our community. Our contract with the Kalamazoo Sheriff’s Department, paid for with ARPA money, has not slowed drivers enough. We get deputies when they volunteer and at the hours that they are available. We have to implement additional measures,” said Miller, who said he will look into the cost for installing speed bumps.
Ludwig forwarded the information to Captain Bishop of the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department, requesting the Sheriff Department focus on the east side of the Village for direct patrol.
The Village Council has a contract with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department for $40,000 for 40 hours of patrol a month, however unless there is assigned patrol, the hours deputies are in the village are for voluntary overtime. The Village has not received close to the 40 hours a month because of a shortage of officers. The Village is billed monthly for the hours deputies are in the village at $75 per hour.
There was an initial cost for the Village years ago to purchase the traffic monitoring equipment, however there is no ongoing costs for monthly data reports obtained through the logixoncloud.com website.
Village of Climax Will Move Forward with Traffic Count Study
Hoping to Secure Grant to Rebuild Railroad Crossing
With a deadline of September 20 approaching to submit a grant to rebuild the North Main Street railroad crossing, the Climax Village Council has moved forward with a key part to the grant.
Streets/Sidewalks/Census Chairperson Joline Chaney said a traffic count line is in place to determine how many vehicles cross the railroad crossing each day. The traffic count line has been placed just north of the North Main Street railroad crossing.
Chaney said the cost for a traffic count study at both railroad crossings is $1,500, however because only one is needed the cost would be between $150 and $210.
Chaney said an updated estimate to rebuild the North Main Street crossing is $537,678.
She adds if a grant through the annual local grade crossing surface program is successfully obtained, 60 percent of the funding will be covered by the state and the other 40 percent will be covered by Canadian National.
Chaney said the Village was turned down for the grant last year because the Village did not meet traffic count criteria.
—In other items covered at the September 3 meeting:
• There was considerable discussion between the Council and a home owner on the corner of Lovell and Maple Street about flooding that continues to occur in the home owner’s basement because of overflow water from near by catch basins, and water run off on the west side of the residence.
Clean Earth was scheduled to clean out the catch basins near the home and other locations in the village September 4.
Interim President David Miller said he will secure estimates to construct curb and gutter along the east side of Lovell Street.
• With the Council considering three options from West Shore Siren for a weather warning siren, Clerk Linda Coburn is researching whether ARPA funds can be used towards the purchase.
Public Safety/Fire Chairman Nick Ludwig provided three options from West Shore Siren at the August 6 regular meeting ranging from a new weather warning siren at a cost of $28,500 to two used sirens for $18,100 and $13,200.
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