Vision Zero to reduce traffic accidents approved
Two years ago, after extensive discussion by the town commissioners and comments by town residents, the Wake Forest Town Board decided to ban the use of golf carts on town streets. Two accidents involving teenagers and golf carts, one with serious injuries, were part of the decision.
In July two men in separate new subdivisions, Gary James and Andrew Hinz, asked the board to revisit that decision. James said it would benefit the residents in the Del Webb at Traditions, an age-restricted subdivision, to be able to drive their carts rather than their cars to the clubhouse to get their mail. Hinz asked the board to allow golf carts on public streets in Traditions.
During a lengthy work session Tuesday night the board heard that the Town of Wendell has just approved golf cart use on town streets. Mayor Vivian Jones said she “apparently the mayor has a golf cart.”
There was a lot of concern about safety, particularly involving teenagers who take the carts without permission. Commissioner Liz Simpers said she knows what teenagers can do and said the carts are “super dangerous” when driven by teens. Commissioner Anne Reeve recalled the two accidents. “I really don’t have a problem with the concept but kids will be kids and they will get injured.”
Commissioner Greg Harrington asked if the carts are more dangerous than the new LimeBikes around town. “I’ve seen kids ride them recklessly.” Many people ride them without helmets
Commissioner Brian Pate said, “We’ve got kids in my neighborhood who are driving golf carts illegally.” He said he was on the fence about allowing golf carts and wants a “substantial penalty if someone underage is found driving a cart.”
Harrington said the second traffic squad, the 14 new police officers and the police department’s motorcycles should be adequate to patrol town streets to find illegal golf cart drivers.
The discussion then turned to what kind of regulations should be included in any ordinance – seat belts, specific streets for driving, penalties – and the mayor asked if they wanted the town staff to write a draft ordinance.
That was when Police Chief Jeff Leonard went to the podium and said there was a safer alternative already on the books, low-speed electric vehicles. “The seminary is going to it” in place of the golf carts the maintenance department had been using.
Leonard and Sgt. Julius Jefferson said the low-speed vehicles can be professionally upgraded golf carts that travel between 20 and 25 mph with seat belts, turn signals, headlights, windshields, windshield wipers, parking brakes and rearview mirrors. They are inspected by the Division of Motor Vehicles, have an identification number and must be registered and insured like a car or truck.
“I am recommending you go this way,” Leonard said. “Even scooters have to have insurance to ride on the roads legally,” Jefferson said. Asked why people do not upgrade to the low-speed vehicles if they want to drive on public streets, Leonard said, “People just don’t want to spend the money. They want to go cheaper.”
Faced with several opinions and no decision, Jones said they would look at ordinances from other towns and “talk about it another time.”
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Next at the podium were Brandon White and Jason Pace to discuss the partial (65 percent complete) plans for new streetscapes on South White Street from Elm Avenue south to East Holding Avenue and the one block of East Owen Avenue.
Both streets will have underground utilities, new sidewalks on both sides, new street lights and other “street furniture” – benches, trash receptacles, bike racks, etc. – and street trees.
Most of the discussion was about Owen, which has been designated a festival street in the updated Renaissance Plan. White showed slides of two different treatments of the street and its intersection with Brooks Street at the entrance to Centennial Plaza in front of town hall.
The big question was whether to keep it as a typical street with curbs and raised sidewalks or fill in the street to make it level with the sidewalks – a true walkable festival street. “Can we afford it?” the mayor asked, and Pace replied, “If you want to do it, this is the time to do it.”
Community Development Director Chip Russell said they should “go ahead and do it now. This is probably a more frugal way of getting started.” He said they should keep the current curb and gutters.
A straw vote showed three commissioners voting for no curbs, and the board will wait to see how the completed plan looks. Pate said the idea of strings of light hung over the street “looks cheesy” and he did not like the painted leaf logo on the street.
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Mayor Jones went to the podium to pitch Vision Zero which began in Sweden in 1994, summarized in one sentence: “No loss of life is acceptable. It is based on the simple fact that we are human and make mistakes. The road system needs to keep us moving. However, it must be designed to protect us at every turn.”
North Carolina has adopted a plan called NC Vision Zero with many partners, including Durham, Greensboro and Charlotte.
The state’s plan uses five approaches and techniques to make roads safer: Engineering vehicles that prevent crashes and roads that forgive mistakes; Education to prepare all road users to safely navigate traffic; Enforcement to prevent dangerous behaviors that injure and kill people; Emergency responders can provide rapid response that reduces the severity of injuries; and Everyone can be part of a culture that values safety on the roads.
The commissioners voted to approve Wake Forest joining NC Vision Zero, and Jones will set up a committee to fashion the town’s plan.
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John Pelosi, chairman of the Public Art Commission, explained the group’s next project, Greenway Art or people painting the above-ground sewer structures along the greenways. A new committee will invite individuals and local groups – school art classes, Boy Scout troops, Girl Scout troops, local art clubs – to submit sketches of their art. After approval, the committee will provide the paint, brushes and other equipment to add color and landmarks along the greenways. The first location will be the Sanford Creek Greenway where there are 24 structures, and other selected structures across town.
The project was approved.
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Russell explained the new traffic pattern at Wake Forest High School for buses, parents letting off and picking up students and student drivers beginning at the end of August when classes resume. The changes were needed because of the reconstruction of Stadium Drive to a complete street. Colored charts will be available for everyone.
3 Responses
The problem I see as a resident of Heritage is that pre 16 teenagers are driving golf carts on the road. We see them going back and forth to the pool on Heritage Club Road all of the time. They appear to be 14 years old at best, carrying other 14 year old at best or younger. There is a liability to all drivers that exceeds their insurance if they were to run over any of these children. Our police should patrol Heritage Club Rd for these violations as weel as speeders from the entrance at Heritage Lale to the clubhouse since they milled out the speed bump. The speed limit is a suggestion…
There are not enough police to keep kids on golf carts off the roads or the greenway. This is a particular problem on the greenway as proved in the past, just more dangerous to those walking, running and on bikes. The police can not react quickly enough to locate them, (they are in cars) and the rules, although posted, are not known or ignored. I do not care to share streets or the greenway with golf carts out for joy rides, the only use I’ve seen. To get to the mailbox? Um, no. Last one I saw was tooling down Rogers Road and turned into the Harris Teeter lot….
Uninsured vehicles (which includes golf carts/electric vehicles) on public streets is a bad idea. Same driven by people without a driver’s license specific to the vehicle is a bad idea. A golf cart, if permitted after meeting the previous requirements, should be required to have tail lights and headlights that meet or exceed those required for motorcycles. Headlights should be required to be burning whenever a golf cart or electric vehicle is in motion. Seat belts should be required.
We must accept that we are a growing area with increased traffic both on the main arteries and in our subdivisions. My approach to this issue is I am very concerned that golf carts would introduce another thing that could potentially involve me in an accident because of its small frame, therefore less visible, and more likely to have less experienced drivers. If the driver and vehicle is not insured then, in an accident not of my making, I am stuck with the bill or a long battle to sue those involved. We are not like some countries in the world where you may see a large variety of motorized vehicles on the road along with a large number of non-motorized devices. The culture has acclimated to that environment and somehow most miraculous survive. I sat in a corner coffee shop in South America and watched buses, SUV’s, motorbikes/scooters with 5-6 people on them, horse drawn wagons, bicycles with 2-4 people, etc. People respected the different methods of transportation. Here motorized vehicles give little respect to unconventional smaller vehicles. Some dump trucks and 18 wheeler’s give little respect to smaller vehicles. Allowing golf carts on the same street that may be used by a dump truck is inviting a disaster. Since trucks shortcut through my subdivision then that means golf carts should not be allowed.
It is unfortunate that the new subdivisions are being built with centralized mail which creates a difficult situation for people who are less mobile or otherwise handicapped. The code should be changed to require centralized mail at least on every block. If the USPS is not accommodating then we need legislation to require it. Regardless, unreasonable restrictions on mail delivery should not drive a decision to allow a dangerous situation on our streets like permitting golf carts.