Control speeding on Woodcreek’s roads

Dear Mayor and City Council members:

I want to thank you for all the hard work in keeping Woodcreek citizens safe during this pandemic. It took courage and common sense to implement the strict stay at home order ahead of other cities in the state. This probably was not popular with all Woodcreek citizens, but it what was best for their safety. I commend the council for diligently keeping the public informed with daily statistics and posting tips to advise the public on best practices to stay healthy. It made me proud to be a Woodcreek resident.

Now I am calling on the council to continue the work of keeping all citizens, young and old, safe on the streets of Woodcreek. I want to share some traffic facts that I came across which made me understand how important safe speeds are in residential neighborhoods.

5% of pedestrians die when struck by a motorist going 20 mph

45% of pedestrians die when struck by a motorist going 30 mph

85% of pedestrians die when struck by a motorist going 40 mph

During these long days of the stay at home orders issued by our Mayor and Governor, the streets of Woodcreek have been filled with residents, young and old, riding on golf carts, strollers, bikes, and scooters, and enjoying walks. Several times I have even witnessed a young man confined to a wheelchair enjoying our roadways on some of our beautiful spring days.

No study needs to be done to realize Woodcreek has a traffic problem which will increase when the new school opens this coming August. There are many solutions the city could act upon immediately to keep the streets safe for residents. Here are a few that come to mind:

1. Painted crosswalks for golf carts and pedestrians slightly raised similar to the ones on the Square in downtown Wimberley

2. Painted pedestrian and bike lanes on Woodcreek and Brookhollow

3. Traffic islands

4. Speed cushions

5. 3-way stop signs

6. Road closure(s)

Some of these tactics were implemented on Shoal Creek Blvd. in Austin resulting in an 80% decrease in speeding! Constable patrols and radar speeding signs are temporary deterrents. The measures mentioned above are in place 24 hours/7 days a week to slow traffic down.

So, I ask this Council to continue the work they are doing to keep us, your citizens, safe during this pandemic. And I am asking and pleading for this council to use the same courage and common sense, and expand the mission of safety to include keeping us, your neighbors, safe on Woodcreek roads.

Monica Rasco