5.2. SR 07-24-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

July 24, 1998 Dear Auburn Street Resident: Last month, the Police Department approached the City Council in response to concerns from the housing additions in your area and their concerns about speeding vehicles. The push to resolve the complaints was brought about by Councilperson Thompson. In looking at your neighborhood, we discovered that the addition to your north had never complied with the original plat approval, and the required stop signs were never installed. We felt that installing a number of stop signs in the right places would deter the traffic cutting down from 197th, and then down Auburn to 193rd. This is being rectified and the developer is in the process of installing all the signs we have requested. There is a slight delay as the signs are installed on the top of the City street signs that have to be custom ordered. The second solution given was to install speed bumps on Auburn. These bumps would be placed on the north and south ends of the curves between 196th and 193rd. We felt this would be a deterrent not only to speeding vehicles, but also to discourage those vehicles that use Auburn as a thoroughfare. We realize that extra patrol and increased traffic enforcement are also effective preventative measures. Our department is not able to provide large quantities of time to one specific area for traffic enforcement. Elk River is 44 square miles and has more road surface than most cities of comparable size. It is very difficult for the three squads on duty to patrol every street in the city during an eight-hour shift. When we factor in calls, reports, follow-up and other assignments, it becomes even more difficult to try to saturate one specific area. Our recommendation of speed bumps was done on the thought that they would always be there thus giving a 24-hour deterrent towards the problem. They are not a guarantee - people can still speed, but they would help reduce the number of speeding vehicles.