Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge council not to make Volta Avenue one-way, raise safety and tree hazards
Summary
Several Brentwood residents urged the council to reject a proposal to convert Volta Avenue to one-way traffic, citing speeding cut-throughs, hazardous trees that recently damaged property and concerns for children and residents with disabilities; the mayor said the town will not make Volta one-way and staff will pursue other measures.
Multiple residents used public comment at the March 17 Brentwood council meeting to oppose converting Volta Avenue to a one-way street and to press the town to address dead or dying trees that threaten homes.
"I'm concerned about, the proposal of making Volta Avenue 1 way," resident Pat Cameron said, asking the council to consider traffic-signal timing, additional stop controls and restored speed humps instead of a one-way conversion. Cameron described seeing erratic drivers and said a neighbor's falling tree recently damaged her property and created a $1,000 deductible expense.
Dee Richardson, who said she submitted a letter on the same topic, described high bumps on Volta that are hard to see at night and asked whether paint or reflective markings could improve visibility. "I would suggest that we have some glow paint or something so we can see them in the evening at night," Richardson said.
Shirley Jackson, a 1979 resident, told the council: "Do not make Volta Avenue 1 way." Jackson said longstanding travel patterns and nearby families with young children make a one-way conversion risky and could disrupt daily routines and school transportation.
Council members acknowledged the concerns and signaled they will not move ahead with a one-way conversion immediately. Mayor Rocio Tremino Lopez said, "At least not under me, that's not gonna happen. I will not allow Volta to become 1 way." She and other council members said staff will pursue alternatives including restoring speed humps on 39th Street, studying modifications to the five-way stop, and continuing community engagement as part of a traffic study.
Council also noted a town fund connected with a recently passed tree ordinance to help residents address unsafe trees and said staff will examine options for trimming or removing hazardous trees before they cause more damage.
What happens next: Town staff will follow up with residents, gather more input during a traffic study and report back to the council on options such as speed-hump restoration, reflective markings, and tree-trimming programs; no formal change to Volta's direction was made.
