No sooner had I written my previous post that I got a boost of civic energy, this one from attending Monday night’s East CAC meeting. It had been a long while since I had been to a meeting, with my involvement in the Ligon PTA taking up much of my free time as well as other things like Friends of Dorothea Dix Park.
Monday’s meeting featured information on the purchase of Gateway Plaza, right outside of my neighborhood, so it provided a compelling reason to be there. There wasn’t much information provided but seeing many of my friends and neighbors there after such a long time was really fun. The same boost of energy I always got when conducting East CAC meetings was still there. My neighborhood inspires me! It’s good to know I can always come back.
The second civic energy boost comes from my efforts to get the speed limit reduced on N. State Street across from St. Augustine’s University. After a neighbor asked if I knew how to do something about the traffic there, I decided to go through the speed limit petition process again the way I had once done for Edmund Street. Nearly every evening this week, I’ve been knocking on doors, meeting neighbors and collecting signatures where I can. Most folks are very interested in doing something about the traffic, though I’ve spoken with two who are somewhat reluctant to sign. I will visit them again this evening, though, and try to convince them. So far I’ve got 11 of the required 14 signatures. I expect to have 13 by the end of the day. Yesterday morning, I mailed out letters to a few of the absentee landlords, asking them to sign as well. Between the two I expect I’ll get what I need to make this petition legitimate.
At the same time, I’m under no illusion that the idiots who have been using State Street as a motorcycle drag strip are really going to give a flip about speed limits. That’s laughable. However, lowering the speed limit is the first step towards traffic calming measures like speed bumps, which definitely would deter motorcycle racing. Dropping the limit to 25 MPH also gives Raleigh’s Finest more incentive to ticket speeding drivers. Hopefully a combination of the two will help tame traffic.
On the way back from dropping the kids off at school, I noticed a speed measuring device has been added to State Street. I take it the city knows I’m serious about speed control here and the Traffic Control department has confidence I will get the petition done this time. Their confidence is well-placed!