Repaving, morning 3, plus two side (street) notes

| Seen around town | Transportation

Now most of Cali between Hinds and the post office is chewed up/grooved, so slower going. We tried side streets to the west as a detour; won’t do that again, those free-for-all intersections aren’t cut out for the overflow. Unrelated side street note: On 41st north of Admiral, heading north from Metro Market, the center stripe is green, leading all the way to a “shamrock” near the end of the street. Our e-mail tipster says the repainting is a St. Patrick’s Day holdover that apparently happens every year; first time we’ve seen/heard of it.

V. Ba March 21, 2007 (10:35 am)

I live on California just north of Charlestown; I have off street parking, thank goodness – but I wonder what others are doing at night who have 2 cars or have a visitor; and during the day, are you experiencing trouble with deliveries, picking people up, etc.? I have family coming to town next week for one night and am planning on parking their rental car near a friend’s house a few blocks away just so it’s not sitting “randomly” on a side street with no one watching out for it… Any advice/tips from others in the neighborhood would be great! Thanks..

Todd March 21, 2007 (11:12 am)

If you used to park on CA Ave but now park in the neighborhood on side streets, please park legally.. don’t be the A_hole who basically blocks my and all my neighbors driveways because you think you fit in a space 5 feet too shallow. Move and park legally a few feet down the road please. Thank you. Don’t make me be the A_hole who gets you a ticket or towed :)

Todd March 21, 2007 (11:55 am)

I can tell you what other cars are doing at night! I LIVE on Charlestown and they are parking infront of my house so close to my drive way that I cannot get in, and if I was in, I wouldn’t be able to see to back out.

V. Ba March 21, 2007 (2:39 pm)

Todd, I wholeheartedly agree – no one should be parking illegally/improperly/rudely, etc. on the side streets. It’s inconvenient enough all around without people being so rude and creating more of those kinds of problems! I personally have a garage to pull into at night but am just exploring what other people are finding is happening with delivery drivers, friends, etc. in the area – hopefully an honest discussion will help keep the neighborhood sane for everyone :-) Vickie

Todd March 21, 2007 (2:52 pm)

You have a very fair question. Good luck. I am not sure what others are doing. I’ll just be glad when it’s over. Having a smooth road finally and the use of my drive way as a bonus.

FYI WSB readers/posters – I emailed the “Public Outreach Coordinator”, George Frost with a polite email stating my concern, example pictures, and even included some solutions rather than just complain. No response yet. He/the city sent out a mailer dated 3/6 updating residents on the re-paving effort… we got the mailer on Monday 3/19 when repaving had already started! Your tax dollars hard at work, again! Ofcourse, I found out about the re-paving earlier in the month from the WSB.

Derek Birnie March 21, 2007 (3:02 pm)

I live on 44th, one block west of and parallel to California. We already get drivers going 45 mph and faster down this residential street – trying to circumvent the traffic light at Charlestown is my guess. In five years I know of three pets that have been hit and now there are many more children on the street. The bloggers are right – the side streets are not the best alternative to the California arterial – even if it is all chewed up.

Todd March 21, 2007 (3:11 pm)

Howdy neighbor Derek. “I feel your pain.” I have been in contact with the police and DOT about “traffic calming measures” and speed limit enforcement. Last summer there were 2 T bone accidents at 44th and Charlestown. People speed every day heading west on Charlestown from CA Ave .. I think it is because they want to catch air when going down the hill maybe? Sadly my efforts have been in vain.

Danno March 21, 2007 (3:30 pm)

Derek-

I have emailed the city numerous times about that light. It stays red too damn long. On top of that many drivers turning left onto Cali or going straight (East) just sit fat and happy in the middle of the lane, allowing no one the courtesy of taking a free right while they wait and gab on their cell phone or drink their coffee. Once I got the city to speed up that light, but two weeks later they just reversed the change and have not done anything more. I do often turn onto 44th to go around, but I am conscious of my speed on your street. That was in fact one of my points to the city, which they ignored.

Todd March 21, 2007 (3:53 pm)

I hate that light too Danno and the folks who sit, as you so eloquently stated, fat and happy so that no one can turn right on red. I thought I had noticed a change recently in the timing.. Thanks for tryin’.

GenHillOne March 22, 2007 (2:56 pm)

Wow, looks like we have a cluster going here as we too are on 44th and Derek, I was going to send the same reminder. The pets AND kids are unused to the extra traffic so a little extra caution is appreciated – I imagine those on the east side of California feel the same. Between Holy Rosary, WS Christian, Hope Lutheran, Madison, WSHS, and Lafayette (did I miss anyone??), there are a LOT of kids walking within a block either way of this repaving project.