Speed Limit Change

[The Admin]

Looks like they finally lowered the speed limit through Lavon. It was 60, but looks like they lowered it to 50 now. I'm not sure yet how far on either side of town this extends as I only saw them putting up the signs today. Anything is better then nothing at this point.

[LavonVoice]

It's about time they lowered the speed limit.  Now the PD needs to hit it hard and educate everyone that it was dropped.

[The Admin]

I definitely agree. Several of us have complained about the speed limit in the past, and the overall answer from the city, per the TXDOT is that there haven't been enough casualties yet, come on...anyway at least it finally happened!

[wolddj]

Now that Lavon has dropped the speed limit perhaps it will spend some time adjusting the traffic lights at Business 78 and Highway 205 to allow traffic on 78 to flow faster than 8 MPH in the mornings and afternoons. The traffic lights at those two locations give preference to the side streets at the cost of highway 78 traffic. It's ridiculous that a handful of cars on the side streets are given preference over hundreds of cars that are backed up for miles, in some cases. Lavon's inaction on the traffic lights effectively steals money from motorists in the form of wasted gasoline and time. It often takes 10 minutes or more to travel the short distance from one end of town to the other in the morning. I am asking my friends and family to boycott Lavon businesses until the traffic situation is resolved. Lavon's unbridled embrace of developers will only make the traffic situation worse unless they widen 78 and plan alternate roadways into and out of town.

BTW - the police aren't going to be able to crack down on the speed limit drop if they are sitting out of the edge of town in the left turn lane north of town "clocking" people with radar outside the city limits. I've seen it repeatedly in recent weeks. Lavon hasn't changed it's tactics.   

[The Admin]

Take a look at the fall newsletter. It does sound like they are aware of the traffic issue and hopefully will be doing something about it. Granted, about the only thing they can do is tweak the lights a bit until they actually widen 78, which I don't think we'll see any time soon.

[ernone]

Did we really need to lower the speed limit?  Or did the city just need a way to justify the waste of our tax dollars on another gas guzzling cop car?  Who in their right might would pick out a hemi powered dodge for a cop car in a town as small as we are? 

If they really wanted to help, why don't they fix the traffic flow issues and get lights in sync? 

Or better yet, maybe they could quit buying new vehicles for the city and fix some of the dang roads.  Lake Road has been on the "repair list" for at least the last 5 years.  But still we can't seem to do anything but get a few patches here and there. 

This is terribly frustrating that some people in our town think changing a speed limit is the biggest problem our town has.

[The Admin]

I do agree with everything you stated, but I do have to add that the speed limit did need lowering. Since I've lived here, there have numerous fatalities here in Lavon and I lost track of the number of times CareFlight has flown out of here all from wrecks. I knew they bought one car, but I didn't realize they bought two cars according to the newsletter. According to the newsletter, they are ramping up to have 24 hour police coverage next year, I think is what it said, however in my opinion, that still didn't justify buying two cars.

[LavonVoice]

First of all, yes, the speed limit did need to be lowered.  Unfortunately though, it is still 60 miles an hour out by Bently Farms which is WAY too fast.  There are constantly people flying by and even passing cars in the turn lane.  There needs to be a no passing zone all the way out past Bently Farms.
The lights are controlled by TXDOT. The City does not have any control over the timing of the traffic lights, except being able to switch them from automatic to manual operation and that is only if TXDOT has given them a key to the box.
As far as the "gas guzzling cop car" goes, the Dodge Chargers are the really the same price as the Crown Victoria.  Many Departments are getting away from the Ford's due to them exploding and killing Officers.  Too much of a liability.  The only other police package cars are there is the Chevrolet Impala and it is too small.  I guess that they could have done like Wylie and bought the overpriced Tahoe SUV's instead.  That would have been a "gas guzzler". Dallas started using some Impala's and cannot even put a cage in them because they would not be able to get anyone in the back seat.  Yes, they have HEMI's, but it allows them to catch up to speeding vehicles quicker in order to slow them down before the hurt or kill someone.  It gets the same fuel mileage as any other police car out there.  I am all for them having reliable vehicles because I want to know that when they are called to my neighborhood for a problem, they will be able to get here.
The City has purchased a paving machine so they can fix the roadways which is what was in the newsletter.  Hopefully Lake Road will be one of the first on the list.
Yes, changing the speed limit is not the biggest problem in town, but it is a severe safety issue having a higher speed limit. I am glad to see it lowered.  I don't think that the Council needs to be wasting time creating an ordinances about the green trash containers when we really need to work aggressively on widening Highway 78.  This traffic is getting ridiculous and it is getting even worse.