Mr.
Gordon E Nelson
District
Engineer Administrator
State
of Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
P.O.
Box 831
Baton
Rouge, La. 70821
Dear
Sir:
With
reference to your letter of January 6, 2000:
Your
SPEED LIMIT POLICY, using the 85th percentile speed algorithm
to calculate the speed limit on Highway 74, in my opinion does not take into
consideration special circumstances. A better algorithm would be 100-4-24. This
algorithm states, one hundred percent of all traffic at Dutchtown School Road,
which is well in excess of 200 vehicles, entering and exiting onto Highway 74
occurs in four hours of a twenty4our hour day when traffic is at its maximum
concentration. No other road accessing Highway 74 has this concentration of
traffic in this very short amount of time. This high concentration of traffic,
coupled with an excessively high speed limit and lack of sufficient safety
devices requires, in my opinion, special consideration. Something you and your
staff cannot seem to grasp.
Further
more, this 85th percentile speed algorithm seems to allow the speed
of a particular road to be dictated by individual driving speeds instead of good
common sense. In other words, if I and others use a particular road using
excessive speed with little or no traffic control to deter those excessive
speeds, which has been and still is the norm in Ascension Parish, then this
excessive speed becomes the norm instead of a danger.
Your
statement that, "Schools and Day Care Centers do not figure prominently as
a consideration for setting speed limits because the children are car passengers
that are not exposed to any unreasonable danger when attended by reasonably
prudent drivers" is the most flagrant disregard for public safety I've ever
heard. I cannot believe that you feel that while others and I who are prudent
drivers cannot be hurt, maimed, or killed by those who are not so prudent
drivers. If all drivers were prudent, then you and I would not be butting heads
over this issue.
Another
constant you and your staff have failed to grasp with this questionable 85th
percentile speed algorithm is the huge influx of residents into this area
in the past few years. Gonzales is no longer a small quiet town, but rather a
large growing city that has out grown its present road system. I would hazard a
guess that mere than seventy-five percent of the reads in Gonzales are sub
standard. Add this to your dogmatic insistence to use this 85th percentile speed algorithm and you are inviting
the possibility of inexcusable property damage, serious injury, or death.
I strongly urge you again reconsider your decision not to reduce the speed limit on Highway 74 and installing sufficient safety devices to eliminate accidents, which are certain to happen if these serious deficiencies are left unchecked, or, use your position to force Ascension Parish to close down this terribly inadequate road access in favor of a better option. This option could possibly be access to the school from Highway 73, which has a safe speed limit, safety devices, and a traffic officer to guarantee safe access and exit from the school, and meets the criteria you spell out in your letter.
Sincerely
Chuck
Le, Mieux
Cc/Fax
to:
Mr.
Harold Marchand Ascension Parish President
The
Ascension Parish Council
Mr.
Anthony Falterman Ascension Parish District Attorney
Mr.
Frank Fredrick Ascension Parish Public Works
Mr.
John (Juba) Diaz Louisiana State Representative
Mr.
Cecil Picard Louisiana Board of Education
Mr.
Robert Ciouatre Ascension Parish School Superintendent
Ms.
Elizabeth Stafford Dutchtown Primary Principle
Ms.
Cathy Meredith Dutchtown Middle Principle
Mr.
Harry Robert Insurance Agent for Ascension Parish
Ms.
Jean Payne of Gallagher Bassatt Insurance Services
Mr.
Jeff Wiley Ascension Parish Sheriff
The
Advocate's River Parish Office
The
Gonzales Weekly
The
Community Mirror
The
Ascension Citizen
Ascension
Parish TV
Channel
2's Two On Your Side
Channel
9 TV
Channel
33 TV