Published in the July 8-21, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
Tami Koval
I am very unhappy and frustrated by the lane closure in the downtown. The city of Morgan Hill has reported data and released information about how “great” this lane closure has been, but I completely disagree. And it seems that everyone I hear voicing an opinion about this issue agrees with me.
There have been communications from the city acknowledging the opinions of the residents, but these same communications have said that the city is going to keep this lane closure. Essentially, the city knows what is best and we shouldn’t have a voice. I know I haven’t spoken to anyone who enjoys this lane closure or expressed that it has helped their life at all.
Since the lane closure downtown, the traffic has moved to auxiliary streets and those streets have become gridlocked or people are speeding down residential streets, making them unsafe. Monterey Road is backed up past Live Oak Avenue in the evenings, making the commute reminiscent of the days of “Blood Alley.” Commuters are trying to speed down Hale Avenue and around the back roads to get south of the city. People speed around the library and schools on Main Avenue trying to get around the downtown or down Cochrane Road and Condit Road trying to get around Butterfield Boulevard.
I haven’t seen any data that discusses the increased time it takes for us to get home or the speeds that area becoming normal on residential streets. How about considering how much more dangerous it is to walk your dog or ride your bike around these neighborhoods? Kids trying to go to the library or walking home from a sports activity at Britton Middle School or Galvan Park have to deal with this increased traffic in these areas. Let’s do some studies on these issues.
In addition, the infrastructure of Morgan Hill is not sufficient to accept the increased traffic. The roads are already in poor shape and the increased traffic is breaking them down more. Many back roads are narrow and not able to handle automobiles, bikes and pedestrians, yet we need to use these roads to get around. It used to be that after work a family could go for a nice bike ride on the back roads or take a walk, but now that means putting your life in peril.
For me this lane closure means that I have added 30 minutes a day to my commute. I work in Silicon Valley and I commute. The normal commute is bad enough, but to add extra time that takes me away from my family is simply inexcusable and incomprehensible. I am a long time resident of Morgan Hill. I grew up here, and hope to finish raising my family here. I work in Silicon Valley to provide a good life for my family and I live in Morgan Hill for the same reason. I want to live in a small town that promotes family. I don’t feel that Morgan Hill is promoting family when it knowingly lengthens commute times and ignores the needs of its residents.
Recently, the city released data showing statistics from a study about the downtown traffic and the effects of the closure on business. Nowhere in the study did it discuss what is taking place outside the downtown.
As a long-time resident of Morgan Hill, I feel the city is blatantly ignoring the wants and needs of present residents. The city of Morgan Hill is forwarding its own agenda, which just doesn’t seem to care about anything outside of the downtown.
Tami Koval is a resident of Morgan Hill who lives near downtown. She wrote this column for Morgan Hill Life.
