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| O/E: Police Say Signage Removal Working; Do Not Address Removals at Schools | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Aug 27 2009, 11:23 AM (634 Views) | |
| Ms. AK | Aug 27 2009, 11:23 AM Post #1 |
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The O/E glosses over residents' serious concerns over signage removal at schools--provides no direct quote from police on the topic of removals at schools. http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20090827/NEWS10/908270606/1027/news10/Crashes-down-50-percent-in-seven-years Crashes down 50 percent in seven years BY KEN ABRAMCZYK • OBSERVER STAFF WRITER • AUGUST 27, 2009 Traffic crashes have declined 50 percent since 2002, according to the Livonia Police Department. Crashes are down from 13 per day to 6.5 per day. Fatal crashes generally average about six or seven each year. This year, two motorists have died. Police Chief Robert Stevenson attributes the reduction to enforcement at high-crash intersections, education of the public and changes in traffic signage. Stevenson also credits the work of Traffic Sgt. David Studt and the Traffic Improvement Association, which provides traffic consulting, management and planning assistance to help improve traffic safety. The TIA, a nonprofit traffic safety agency, has 70 community members in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Livingston counties. TIA's contract of $30,400 was expected to be approved at last night's council meeting. “They've conducted traffic speed surveys on Levan, Schoolcraft, Wayne and Newburgh roads,” Stevenson said of Studt and the TIA. “They've studied traffic signal needs and traffic flow.” Enforcement, engineering and education are key to cutting the number of accidents, according to Stevenson and Studt. “For example, we've dedicated a left-turn lane at Five Mile and Merriman that has resulted in a drastic decline in crashes,” Studt said. “All along Plymouth Road, all the traffic signal locations have been changed. Now they are at the far end of the intersection so the motorists can see (the signals) longer. They aren't at the middle of the intersection; they are now about 30 feet back. That's resulted in a reduction in accidents.” The TIA has assisted the department with data entry, as it often took the equivalent of six hours a day, four days a week for officers to input data from accidents, Stevenson said. That freed up officers, the chief said. The TIA also worked in conjunction with the Strategic Traffic Accident Reduction program with Studt, studying the top 10 crash locations every three months, then increasing traffic enforcement at these locations. The group also has reviewed 2,000 traffic sign changes. Some residents were angered by the removal of stop signs, particularly near elementary schools, but the statistics show that the city is experiencing fewer crashes, Stevenson said. “We're following state and federal guidelines based on thousands and thousands of hours of study and research,” Stevenson said. Stevenson also addressed what he called a rumor that the department is writing tickets to raise revenue for the construction of the new courthouse. “That is absolutely untrue,” Stevenson said in a letter to the Observer. “Actually we have issued 2,000 fewer tickets in the current year as compared to last year.” The city also has upgraded signs to make them easier to read, particularly for elderly drivers. “The city has until 2012 to comply with the manual of traffic control devices,” Studt said. “We'll comply by Sept. 1 of this year.” Stevenson commended Studt for his work. “He's been the driving force with this (reduction), working with the TIA and for the safety of our citizens,” Stevenson said. The Livonia Police Department has won five traffic safety awards in six years, including a Law Enforcement Challenge Award, the Michigan Chiefs of Police Award and the AAA Safety Award. The department also submitted for a national award this year. Bob DeCorte, traffic engineer with TIA, told the council on Aug. 17 the city had 400 fewer motorists who were injured in accidents last year, and that the city had made great strides to comply with the new sign regulations for reflectivity. “You're way ahead of the curve,” DeCorte said. |
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Krome on Cars | |
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| daytripper75 | Aug 27 2009, 05:17 PM Post #2 |
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Let's see...stop signs have been gone for 11 months, traffic is better over the past 6 years. Yes, I see a direct relationship.
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| Ms. AK | Aug 27 2009, 08:14 PM Post #3 |
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I noted that, too. The O/E, at times, tends to skip the necessary research and uses strongly worded headlines that mislead the reader. Also, I believe some pedestrians have died in the last year? Are they part of the 2 fatalities mentioned? |
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Krome on Cars | |
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| Mrs.M | Aug 27 2009, 10:54 PM Post #4 |
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The following inset was not included in the online version Crashes in Livonia Crashes in 2002 In 2002, the city of Livonia had 4,734 crashes, which equals 13 crashes a day. Crashes in 2008 In 2008, the city of Livonia had 2,934 crashes, which equals 8 crashes a day. Through May 2009 Through May 2009, the city of Livonia had 979 crashes, which equals 6.5 crashes a day. SOURCE: Livonia Police Department apples to apples? |
| I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be WRONG. | |
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| Deleted User | Aug 29 2009, 09:47 AM Post #5 |
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Just what was the problem with having stop signs at our elementary schools, anyway? People tend to drive on "automatic pilot" and get used to not having the stop and sooner or later a child is going to get hit, if it hasn't happened already. Does anyone know? |
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| LPS Reformer | Aug 29 2009, 11:02 AM Post #6 |
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The schools exist to educate, not employ.
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I can't imagine one would have been hit, without everyone knowing about it. The real problem starts in September. |
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“Child Abuse” means different things to different people.... ----Randy Liepa 8/9/12 | |
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| still concerned mom | Aug 29 2009, 08:06 PM Post #7 |
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My son was almost hit at a 4 way stop intersection at a school corner when he crossed in front of the school bus that had blinking lights and the stop sign extended so he could cross safely. The driver totally ignored the big yellow bus with blinking lights and it's own stop sign. My son literally had to jump backwards. This was last fall. I shudder to think what that corner will be like now that the stop signs have been removed and only 2 yield signs replaced them. Those stop signs should be in place around every school. |
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| Monkfish | Aug 30 2009, 11:39 AM Post #8 |
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Excellent question...even if the strange study that says drivers actually drive slower when Stop signs are replaced by Yield signs (and does anyone really believe this?)...why NOT at LEAST leave them up around ALL schools? |
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| Monkfish | Aug 30 2009, 11:41 AM Post #9 |
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How much of this "improvement" can be attributed to an increase in the number of left turn signals that have been installed? My guess is the vast majority of improvements are a result of this addition and NOT replacing Stop signs with Yield signs. Nice spin though. |
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| Mrs.M | Sep 11 2009, 10:16 AM Post #10 |
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http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20090910/OPINION03/909100566/1199/NEWS10/Letters Ticket rumor unfounded There's a rumor going around town that the Livonia Police Department is out writing more tickets to raise revenue for the construction of the new 16th District Court. That is absolutely untrue. Actually, we have issued 2,000 fewer tickets in the current year as compared to last year, and I take this opportunity to address this unfounded rumor. First, though, let me explain why your police department writes tickets. Traffic crashes account for the greatest cost and more injuries to the general public than all crimes added together. Many studies have shown a correlation between hazardous traffic violations and crash rates. As part of our strategy to make our roads safer, the Livonia Police Department started the Strategic Traffic Accident Reduction (STAR) program in 2003. The STAR program is an overtime traffic detail where officers are stationed at high-crash locations at specific times to enforce the traffic violations that are causing crashes. As a result of this extra enforcement effort, Livonia has realized a decrease in daily traffic crashes from 13 a day in 2002 to 6.5 a day as of May 1, 2009 — a reduction of 50 percent. Using 2002 National Safety Council estimates, this has saved the city and the general public more than $40,000 a day in direct and indirect costs, and freed up police and fire resources to respond more proactively to our citizens' needs. Due to our budget challenges, the city has had to look for workable ways to reduce expenditures. One of the items reduced at the police department was the overtime spent on the STAR detail. Again, the 2,000 fewer tickets issued this year are contrary to the rumor that we are issuing more tickets to fund the court construction. We will continue to closely monitor the effect that the reduction in the number of STAR details has on our traffic crash rate and we may have to find a way to restore them in the future. However, that decision will not be based on what revenue the court may collect, but on what is best for motorist safety. For additional information about the STAR program and other traffic safety issues, I'd invite all readers to go to the Traffic Bureau section of our Web site at livoniapd.com. Thank you for allowing me to set the record straight. Robert Stevenson chief of police In this letter the Chief attributes the drop in crashes to the STAR initiatives, he doesn't mention the stop sign removal. The STAR program seems to be the logical reason for the drop in crashes. |
| I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be WRONG. | |
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