Riverside has a speeding problem.
As a result of a traffic report it received at its regular meeting on July 6, the Riverside City Council decided to contact the Iowa Department of Transportation …
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Riverside has a speeding problem.
As a result of a traffic report it received at its regular meeting on July 6, the Riverside City Council decided to contact the Iowa Department of Transportation and the Washington County Sheriff in regards to motorists speeding through town.
In a statistics-driven report measuring the speed of drivers entering the city from the west end from May 27 to June 14, 28.92% traveled at 40 miles an hour or higher in a 30 mph zone on Highway 22. The speed limit drops from 55 mph to 25 mph as drivers enter the west end of Riverside and into the business district and goes back up to 55 mph on the east end of the city.
“Thirty percent are going too fast,” said councilman Edgar McGuire, who added he’d like to see that number drop to 15 percent.
According to the report, more than 68% were exceeding the 30 mph posted speed limit.
The city decreased the speed limit in the business district to 25 mph in 2019 in an attempt to slow down traffic.
On both ends of the city, electronic signs flash the actual speed to drivers entering Riverside on Highway 22.
City Administrator Christine Yancey said additional data from the traffic reports may present a clearer picture.
Also at its July 6 meeting, the council unanimously approved moving ahead in hiring Axiom Consultants of Iowa City as the city engineering firm for a number of capital improvements, including the Third Street construction project. A formal resolution will be on the July 19 meeting agenda.
Kevin Mills, the newest member of the council, was appointed to serve on three committees: Parks, Employees and Grant Program.
Yancey informed the board of a number of technology improvements that are available, including text messaging alerts for city residents, doing an email blast of meeting agendas and including drone-provided photos on the city’s website.
All council members were in favor of the text messaging alerts, which could be used for anything ranging from road closures to weather emergencies. McGuire asked if that information could also be sent via emails.
