In response to complaints from a group of residents, the Oxford Village Council last week voted 4-1 to approve a resolution requesting the Road Commission for Oakland County and Oxford Township ‘take immediate action to reduce? the speed limit on N. Oxford Rd. from 50 to 35 miles per hour.
Currently, the speed limit on N. Oxford Rd. is 50 mph up to the village limits, when it immediately drops to 25 mph and the road becomes N. Glaspie St. inside the village.
‘It’s kind of interesting that the speed limit doubles in a matter of maybe a sixteenth of an inch,? said village President Renee Donovan.
A March 6 letter signed by 12 residents of N. Glaspie St. was submitted to council explaining the problems on the street and requesting action to rectify them.
‘Many vehicles are traveling at excessive speeds, well over the posted speed limit, especially from East Street to the village limits,? the letter stated.
The residents cited the 50 mph speed limit on N. Oxford Rd. as ‘one reason.?
‘Drivers travelling south from the Middle School are able to drive 50 mph and suddenly on Glaspie St. in the village the speed limit is 25 mph,? the letter stated. ‘Drivers travelling north on Glaspie know the speed limit is 50 mph on N. Oxford Rd. so they began to pick up speed as soon as they pass Burdick Street.?
‘Nowhere in the township is there a road that enters the village with a speed limit of 50 mph. Even on M-24, a state-funded highway, the limit is 40 mph (leading into the village). Surely, the speed limit should be much lower on a township road that enters a village residential street than on a state highway!,? the letter stated.
The residents noted that ‘most township roads that feed into our village streets have a 35 mph speed limit.?
The residents requested the township ‘change the speed limit on N. Oxford Rd. from the village limits to the Middle School to 35 mph so this will help slow down the speeder entering our residential street.?
Most village officials agreed with the residents.
Councilman Steve Allen said it’s ‘ludicrous? to have the speed limit on N. Oxford Rd. be higher than M-24’s speed limit in the ‘same stretch? leading into the village.
Allen said N. Oxford Rd. is a ‘great candidate? for a ‘permanent? 35 mph speed limit.
Police Chief Mike Neymanowski told officials lowering the speed limit is a ‘logical idea,? especially in the light of the fact the middle school will become the new high school this fall.
Neymanowski said the N. Oxford Rd./N. Glaspie St. area is one of the ‘higher enforcement areas? in the village, meaning ‘a lot of tickets? are issued there.
‘I’m personally out there three mornings a week,? the chief said.
Council’s resolution stated it’s ‘certain that the situation is dangerous and requires assistance from? the township and road commission ‘to effect change.?
In addition to requesting the speed limit on N. Oxford. Rd. be reduced to 35 mph, the resolution also asks the township to ‘request the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department monitor the area north of the village limit to ensure that motorists reduce their speed to 35 mph before entering? the village.
Councilman Dave Bailey expressed his support for the resolution from a legal angle.
‘I also like the resolution from a legal point of view, in case there should be a serious injury accident resulting from the failure of the township to cooperate,? Bailey said. ‘We can point to the language in this resolution and say we told them. So whoever you’re going to sue, don’t sue the village, sue the township.?
The only council member to vote against the resolution was Matt Weber.
‘The fact you can go 50 (mph) legally once you’re outside the village, I don’t think is a bad thing as long as when you enter the village, you reduce your speed,? Weber said.
However, Weber did want it noted that ‘I’m not a speed demon. I don’t want to be labeled that way.?
Township Supervisor Bill Dunn said the township doesn’t possess legal authority to lower the speed limit on N. Oxford Rd. on its own.
However, Dunn told the concerned N. Glaspie St. residents at an informal gathering last week that he has been in contact with Winston Myrie, a traffic engineer with the Traffic Safety Department of the county road commission.
As a result, a joint survey will be conducted by representatives from the Michigan State Police, county road commission and township (i.e. Dunn) to determine if the speed limit on N. Oxford Rd. merits reduction and if so, what the appropriate speed limit should be.
Myrie said like the township, the road commission also doesn’t have the independent authority to reduce the speed limit. Such decisions must be made via the joint survey consisting of the three entities mentioned above.
Myrie said Dunn should be getting a letter ‘pretty soon? regarding the date and time the survey will take place.
Dunn told N. Glaspie St. residents they’re more than welcome to participate in the survey by sharing their input with the state police and road commission representatives. He said he will inform them of the survey’s date and time ‘as soon as I know it.?
‘I’m in favor of lowering the speed (limit),? the supervisor told this reporter. ‘It doesn’t make much sense the way it is now. It’s not safe. I’m going to do everything within my power to help the residents and get that speed reduced.?
As far as speed enforcement in the N. Oxford Rd./N. Glaspie St. area, Dunn asked the village police chief to contact the Sheriff’s Lt. Al Whitefield, Oxford Township substation commander, to coordinate their efforts.