JACKSON ALDERMEN TABLE STOP SIGN MATTER

JACKSON -- A proposal to create a three-way stop at the intersection of Greensferry Road and Clark Street was put on hold Monday after the Jackson Board of Aldermen received a petition from 85 people opposing the stop signs.

The issue was raised by Alderman Jack Piepenbrok at the board's Feb. 17 meeting. Piepenbrok contends it's only a matter of time until someone is seriously injured or killed at Greensferry Road and Clark Street.

The intersection is at the foot of a steep hill. When vehicles traveling north on Greensferry Road top the crest of the hill, the Clark Street intersection is a short distance away.

Students who live in a new subdivision on Clark Street must walk across Greensferry Road to get on their school bus each morning.

The petitions opposing the stop signs were presented by Ella Pleasant of 1105 Greensferry Road. "We feel placing a stop sign at that location would not be safe," she said. "It could result in a rear-end collision for cars stopped at the stop sign on Greensferry Road."

Pleasant said those who signed the petition some of them residents who live along Greensferry Road favor instead the installation of a flashing yellow light above the intersection to warn approaching motorists.

But John Conder, who lives at 902 Greensferry Road, supported the three-way stop, saying it would protect the students who must now avoid speeding cars each morning to get on their bus. "I invite members of the board to come out there between 7:15 and 7:45 a.m. on any school day and see what goes on," said Conder. "Last week, I saw two little girls narrowly avoid being hit by a car. A stop sign at that location is worth a lot more than having some child hit by a car."

Conder told the board the Jackson School District will not permit the school bus to enter the subdivision on Clark Street because the bus would then have to pull out from Clark onto Greensferry Road and risk being struck broadside by a speeding car coming over the crest of the hill.

Conder also asserted that many of the motorists who violate the speed limit on Greensferry Road are residents who live along Greensferry Road, and do not want the stop signs there.

The speed limit on Greensferry Road at that location is 30 mph. Piepenbrok said he has received repeated complaints about speeding on Greensferry Road.

The board voted 5-2 to table first reading of the ordinance, and said it would discuss the issue at next week's study session. The motion also calls for a representative of the school district to meet with the board at the study session on Monday, and for the Jackson Police to conduct a study of the intersection.

Aldermen Phil Johnston and Piepenbrok voted against the motion. After the meeting, Piepenbrok said the ordinance should have been passed immediately because of the obvious danger the intersection poses to students.

There are long-range plans to redesign the intersection by cutting back the grade of the hill and raising the road enough so that motorists would have a better line of sight of the Clark Street intersection.

"This (stop sign) ordinance would reduce the risk of a serious accident or injuries and fatalities at the intersection until we can redesign that part of Greensferry Road," Piepenbrok said. "Just because there has never been a serious accidents at the intersection is no excuse for not doing something about it now, before it does happen."