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Resident urges lower speed, signage on West Country Club Road; council to study options
Summary
Steven Horvath told the Chickasha City Council the narrow overpass and 40-mph speed limit on West Country Club Road create dangerous conditions for pedestrians and cyclists and asked the city to lower the limit to 35 mph and add signs; councilmembers agreed to discuss the issue in a work session with Public Works and Police.
Steven Horvath, a Chickasha resident, told the City Council that West Country Club Road is unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists because of high speeds, no shoulders and limited sight lines at an overpass. "I'm asking the city to lower the speed limit across West Country Club Road 35 miles an hour as an immediate low cost first step," Horvath said, and urged the city to post 35 mph signs and add pedestrian/cyclist markings.
Horvath cited "National Traffic Engineering data," saying that reducing speed from 40 to 35 mph cuts stopping distance by about 23 feet and reduces the likelihood a pedestrian will be fatally struck (he stated a drop from roughly 85% at 40 mph to 45% at 35 mph). He described the busiest period as about 3–6 p.m. and pointed to a narrow overpass with no shoulder where passing is unsafe.
Councilmembers responded by identifying several locations where traffic changes or new stop controls might be needed, including 9th Street at Country Club and near the YMCA. Councilmember Clark said the recent development north of Country Club Road has increased traffic and urged a working session that includes Public Works and the Police Department to review stop-sign placement, speed limits and traffic counts. "We probably need to have a work session to look at that and bring in public works and maybe the police department," he said.
The council did not take formal action on a speed change at the meeting. Staff and councilmembers said they would schedule a work session to evaluate counts, jurisdictional responsibilities and potential traffic-calming or signage changes. That work session is the next procedural step recorded in the meeting.
