When Did Not Stopping, Start Being "The Best"?

Last week, THE BUZZ was walking one of our little bees to school when we watched car after minivan after SUV roll right through the stop signs at Banfield Drive and Minden Way.

When we got to the front of Heron School, we flagged down one of the errant drivers who had sped ahead of all the other vehicles in the parking lot to drop off a student. We identified ourselves as a member of the neighborhood traffic calming committee and PTSA leadership team, and pointed out that the driver had not stopped at the intersection.

In the end, the driver told us she tries “her best.” Well, THE BUZZ doesn’t think “her best” is all that great which is one of the reasons we volunteered for the Heron Park Traffic Calming Committee earlier this year.

Those NATOMAS BUZZ readers who reside in the area bounded by North Park Drive, Natomas Boulevard, Club Center Drive and Northborough Drive received something from this committee in the mail yesterday. It’s a ballot to approve the following traffic calming measures:

• Pedestrian refuge islands on Banfield Drive and Minden Way. The north island will be built to extend a median island past the driveway of Heron School.
• Left turn restriction signs on the south end exit of teh school parking lot.
• School signs on Minden and New Hampshire ways.
• Pedestrian signs on Banfield Drive between Anton Way and Tramonti Court in the center of the roadway on both approaches to the midblock crosswalk.
• Speed lumps on Maybrook Drive between Fredericksburg Way and Minden Way as well as Banfield Drive between Sherington Way and Anton Way. Additionally on New Hampshire Way between Natomas Boulevard and Banfield Drive.
• 25 MPH speed legend on Maybrook Drive east of Northoborough Drive.

The mailer included a self-addressed, postage paid ballot. In order to pass, a minimum of 25 percent of all ballots (only sent to those residences within the boundaries) must be returned with a simple majority in favor of the plan to improve pedestrian safety in our neighborhood.

For more information, call 808-8300 and ask for Cindy Bates.

C’MON, VOTE!