By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
Dowagiac residents answering a Police Department traffic safety survey most often identified Prairie Ronde as the location where speeding most often occurs.
Of 20 different intersections identified as problems, Spruce and N. Paul streets received the most votes, 43.
The department received 186 responses to six basic questions about community traffic issues.
There were also several positive responses about the Police Department's efforts in the community as well as the city in general.
Officer Steven L. Grinnewald, who compiled the data, said information obtained from this survey will be analyzed by the department and used to develop a traffic safety strategy to address residents' concerns.
Police sent the traffic survey to Dowagiac residents with utility bills last spring.
Chief Tom Atkinson's department is committed to making the city a safe place to live, work and play. Its motto is "Working for the People … With the People." The department felt a traffic safety survey would give Dowagiac residents an opportunity to speak directly to police on traffic safety issues.
Question 1
If excessive speed is a problem in the City of Dowagiac, where does it occur most often?
There were 162 answers to this question in the 186 responses; 72 percent said, yes speeding is a problem. Fifteen percent said they did not see a speeding problem.
Thirty different locations were identified where speeding most often occurs, topped by E. and W. Prairie Ronde, with 24 responses. The rest of the top five are E. and W. Division Street, 18; N. Front Street, 11; Oak Street, 10; and Hill and E. and W. Telegraph streets, nine each.
There were several other streets/locations from all four quadrants of the city identified.
Question 2
Would you be willing to allow the Dowagiac Police Department to put a speed trailer in your yard or curb lawn for one- to two-week periods throughout the summer months?
This question was answered by 158 of the 186 respondents; 68 percent said yes and 16 percent answered no. The most common reason given for answering no was renters or citizens who do not have a yard for the trailer.
Question 3
Are you often bothered in your home or leisure by excessively loud vehicles in the city? This can mean both mechanical and loud stereos?
This question was answered by 178 of the 186 responses - the most-answered query on the survey. Eighty-six percent of respondents said yes, excessive noise was a problem. Nine percent said it was not a problem.
The majority of responses indicated loud car stereos as a problem, with only two stating that loud vehicles/mufflers were a problem.
Question 4
Do you need some legal information regarding safety belt and child restraint laws?
This question was answered by 168 of the 186 responses. Two percent answered affirmatively. Eighty-six percent said they did not need any information.
The majority of the no responses indicated either a lack of children or children of child-restraint age for not needing any information.
Question 5
Would you like the opportunity to attend a child car seat check at a local business/location so officers could assure that your child car seat is being used properly?
This question was answered by 167 of the 186 responses. Six percent of those responding said that yes, they would like to attend a child car seat check; 83 percent said they did not need to attend.
The majority of the no responses were again due to either a lack of children or children of child-restraint age.
Question 6
What intersections do you find most dangerous and why? (red light violations, stop sign violations, etc.)?
This question was answered by 143 of the 186 responses; 76 percent of respondents said there was a problem at certain intersections within the city, while 23 percent did not note any intersection problems.
There were 20 different intersections identified as problems, with the juncture of Spruce and N. Paul streets receiving the most responses, 43.
The rest of the top five problem intersections identified were W. Railroad Street and E. Division Street, 30; Main and Lowe streets, 18; Front and Division streets and M-51 South and Pokagon Street, 14 each; and W. Telegraph and N. Lowe streets, 10.
The majority of the reasons listed that the intersections were problems was people running traffic lights or stop signs.
Police also reported a "strong response requesting traffic lights" at M-51 South and Pokagon Street, Spruce and N. Paul streets and W. Railroad and E. Division streets.
Responses indicated a large daytime traffic volume as a problem at these intersections.
Two responses indicated tall bushes make visibility difficult on Parsonage Street at Main Street.
Four responses showed a problem with several streets converging at Division, Commercial and Center streets, making navigation difficult.
Additional comments
The last section of the survey gave citizens space for "any additional comments that you have."
Of those responding, 110, or 59 percent, placed some type of additional comment, which were broken into six different categories - pedestrian issues, roadway/traffic issues, parking complaints, patrol requests, Police Department complaints and other, or non-traffic related.
Pedestrian issues
Six complaints about people/kids walking in the street, refusing to move for vehicles.
Six complaints about kids "walking in the street" or loitering downtown day and night.
One complaint that the crosswalk on Main Street near N. Lowe Street needs to be moved farther east.
One complaint that cars need to share the road with bicyclists.
Roadway/traffic issues
Two requests for higher speed limits on E. and W. Prairie Ronde, N. Front, Main and Colby streets.
Two requests that all traffic lights in the city go to flashing at night.
Three complaints of semi trucks nt using the truck route and driving on residential streets, causing houses to "vibrate."
One request for 15-mph speed limits on all residential or "side" streets for safety.
Two requests to change all city yield signs to stop signs.
One request for the speed limit on E. Railroad Street to be changed from 30 mph to 25 mph for safety.
One complaint about drivers using cell phones while driving being dangerous.
One request to pave Golf Street due to dust and cars sliding on the gravel/dirt.
One complaint of the "bump" on E. Prairie Ronde Street near Oak Street being a hazard that could cause a vehicle to lose control.
Parking issues
Two complaints of overtime parking in the downtown business district.
Two requests for police to seek out and issue citations for handicap parking violations.
One complaint of cars parking across sidewalks on residential streets, making it difficult for pedestrians to walk.
One complaint of cars parking on S. Lowe Street, causing traffic congestion, back-ups.
Patrol requests
One request for more police presence at city apartment complexes.
One request for more patrol of Riverside Cemetery and the city compost site.
One request to patrol city parks more.
One request to patrol residential "side" streets and neighborhoods.
Police complaints
Two complaints of too many patrol cars in one area at a time, including two patrol cars on traffic stops.
One complaint that Dowagiac police treat complainants as "trouble makers."
One comment that the speed trailer will do no good, as drivers will try to see how high they can get the display.
One comment that Dowagiac police are "scared" to write city residents tickets for traffic violations.
One comment about why a Dowagiac police officer needs to spend his entire shift walking in the downtown area.
Other/miscellaneous
One complaint of fireworks problems on Colby Street, near Sherwood.
One report of barking dog problems throughout Dowagiac.
One suggestion that teens be made to clean the streets or parks in Dowagiac as part of community service through Juvenile Court.
One request for the Dowagiac noise ordinance to be posted on a sign at the entrance to the city.
One comment that Dowagiac needs recycling for environmental reasons.
Positive feedback
Outside agency
Seven comments and requests for traffic safety issues fell outside Dowagiac's jurisdictional boundaries.
These locations were noted and forwarded to the Cass County Sheriff's Office, as all of them are within its service area.