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Newman residents urge speed deterrents on Barrington; request restriping at Highway 33 intersections
Summary
At the July 8 Newman City Council meeting, multiple residents described repeated speeding and a June crash on Barrington Avenue and asked the city for speed bumps, restriping and other traffic-calming measures; staff said it will deploy a radar trailer, collect data and fold comments into a Safe Streets for All plan.
Dozens of Newman residents told the City Council on July 8 that speeding and drivers running stop signs on Barrington Avenue and nearby streets are creating a safety hazard near a park and school, and asked the city to install physical traffic calming and restripe several intersections.
Residents pressed the council after a June 26 crash that a resident described as a speeding driver who “took out five vehicles” at about 11:50 p.m., including three belonging to the speaker. They asked for more speed bumps, enforcement and restriping at troubled intersections, and city staff said they would collect data and pursue engineering and enforcement steps.
The comments matter because speakers said the corridor includes a park and a school and that children walk and bicycle in the area. “That is about a quarter mile and they are doing 60, 70 miles an hour down the street,” said John Beekman, a Barrington Avenue resident, describing the June 26 crash and broader speeding concerns. Another resident, Jack Bash of Lady Slipper Lane, asked the council to restripe the intersection of Highway 33 at Driscoll and Kern, saying motorists commonly pass on the right where there are no lanes marked.
City Manager Michael said staff will increase enforcement and work with traffic engineers after collecting radar data. “Ashley, our sergeant, is going to put the radar out there. We’ll collect some data and then we’ll try to work with our traffic engineers to see if there’s some things that we can do up front,” Michael told the council. Sergeant Ashley and Officer RJ said the department will move the single radar trailer to the reported locations and that the county’s integrated traffic enforcement team will return to Newman in August to assist.
Council members and staff reiterated that existing speed bumps have not fully solved the problem. “We have put three speed bumps on Barrington. It’s not doing the job,” said a council member during the public exchange. Residents suggested additional stop signs, lights on stop signs and other physical measures; Jesus Alonso, another Barrington resident, said flashing lights might help drivers who routinely run stop signs.
Public works staff and the speaker describing the city-wide Safe Streets for All planning effort said community input will be folded into an outreach survey and used to pursue state or other funding for traffic-calming projects. The city manager and staff also reported a separate pavement issue on Jensen Road near Fig, saying the contractor and engineering team are investigating subsidence and will make permanent repairs after determining the cause.
Staff direction and next steps captured in the meeting: the police department will deploy the radar trailer at reported locations, the city will collect speed data and consult traffic engineers about calming options, and the city will include resident comments in its Safe Streets for All outreach to pursue funding.
The council did not take a formal vote on new traffic infrastructure at the meeting. Residents were told that enforcement and engineering follow-ups are planned and that the county integrated traffic enforcement team will visit Newman in August.
