Siskiyou County Lowers Posted Speed Limit on Machado Lane to 35 mph

The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt an urgency ordinance to lower the posted speed limit on Machado Lane from 55 miles per hour to 35 miles per hour between milepost 0 and 2.3.

Deputy Director of Public Works Garrett Richardson said the department conducted a traffic survey after receiving public concerns and that the survey supported reducing the speed. "Finding supported reducing the speed limit from 55 miles an hour to 35 miles an hour," he told the board.

Residents who live on Machado Lane described frequent reckless driving, hazards for livestock and children, and damage to fences. Michelle Woods, who said she lives at 7131 Machado Lane, told supervisors, "This speed limit change will make our county roads safer for all residents, landowners, families." John Michado, who said his family has lived in the area for three generations, said near misses are common because the road is used as a thoroughfare for farm work.

County counsel recommended adding a declaration of urgency to the ordinancethat the board "declares that there is a current and immediate threat to the public health and safety absent this reduction." The board voted to adopt the ordinance with that change.

The clerk recorded aye votes from Supervisors Valenzuela, Helt, Harris and Oak/Ocran. Garrett Richardson said public works would provide corrected hard copies for signature.

The ordinance is an urgency action of the county and will be posted as required; staff said they will follow up with signing and distribution.