Letter to the Editor: Speeders on the new Bloomington Drive are endangering pedestrians, children and cyclists

December 30, 2017 Utah Channel 3

OPINION — The improved engineering and repaving project on Bloomington Drive in the Bloomington neighborhood of St. George is coming along very nicely and certainly a welcome relief to what most of those living in Bloomington have had to deal with over the 50 or so years of its existence.

It has, however, a built-in challenge that has been amplified with the brand-new pavement. While the speed limit is 25 miles per hour, few of us including this writer always obey this limit. Yes, I am guilty, and I own it but some have taken speeding to all new heights where the new pavement has been laid.

I have always felt that it could be just as safe at 30 mph and I admit that when it’s safe to do so, I edge up at times.

Bloomington Drive undergoing renovation and repaving. St. George, Utah, Dec. 30, 2017 | Photo by Joyce Kuzmanic, St. George News

Others seem to think that 40, 50 and even 60 mph is a safe operating speed on the loop and with the new paving on the straight stretch, on the southwest side, this has now become the norm, until they hit the curves on each end of the segment between Navajo Drive and Ute Road. Then things get a little squirrely at the higher speeds as they enter the turns.

I have watched people speed by the workers installing the new water lines and dressing up the landscaping, pouring concrete for the new manhole covers with little disregard for life and property. Everybody is in a freaking hurry but is it worth it? Some think the warning cones and pylons around the open manholes mean it’s a gymkhana course and whip through them as fast as they can, even going down the wrong side with oncoming cars coming toward them.

Then there is the little stretch past Bloomington Country Club towards Tonaquint Drive, specifically the first curve by the club’s adjacent maintenance facility and driving range; on the northeast side of the parking lot, it comes fast at 40 mph. I have seen people pulling out of the country club, on the pool end, in front of speeders causing near collision situations. I have seen people almost lose control as they come up too fast on that curve and get the right wheels of their vehicles in the dirt. Sooner or later, there will be a collision or a rollover.

At the initial presentation for the construction project, I lobbied for soft speed bumps on the stretches where people are more prone to speed but I got shot down. They said “it was too dangerous and could cause damage to cars and the city could get sued.” I don’t buy that if there were warning signs posted.

I ask, O’ wise City Fathers:

What about the elderly people walking their dogs or just out exercising?

What about the runners with earbuds blasting in their ears so they can’t hear cars coming?

What about the cyclists who love the challenge of riding the cycling lane … on the painted line?

What about children riding bikes and skateboards?

What about people pulling out of one of the many cul-de-sacs and misjudging a speeding car?

What IF someone loses control while SPEEDING and hits someone and damages their precious car and kills or maims a fellow human being in the process?

Speed controls might not be such a bad thing … but please, not as low as 25 mph – 25 mph is just juvenile.

There is no traffic control on Bloomington Drive. We rarely see any police presence. There is little signage and none of it warns of pedestrians or bike traffic. I have asked for the portable speed warning signs a number of times and while promised I have never seen one put up, although I’m told they have been there from time to time.

In this letter, I have only touched on a couple stretches where speed is disregarded. There are other areas that need to be addressed. It is literally the wild west of speeding from Navajo Drive to Ute Road. And from what I have seen here in Bloomington and other parts of St. George, pedestrians evidently do not have the right of way as prescribed by law.

The mayor, City Council, Bloomington Council and chief of police probably need to reassess traffic control in Bloomington now that we have a nice new road and while they’re at it, let’s take some action to curtail the speeding.

Written by PAUL LINFORD, St. George.

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