By Stephen Smoot
Prince Otto Von Bismarck, the Chancellor of the German Empire from the 1870s through the 1890s came up with the line “one should never see how laws and sausages are made.”
That is because both endeavors can involve elements unexpected by the average mind.
This week, the Shinnston City Council held a special meeting to examine the possibility of creating a way for citizens to petition for the lowering of speeds on their specific side streets from the current citywide 25 mile per hour limit to 15.
“I was initially 100 percent against it, but now I’m undecided,” said Shinnston Mayor Patrick Kovalck.
The issue has more complexity than what it may seem at the surface. The City has no authority to affect the speed limits on state and federal routes, such as West Virginia 20 or U.S. Route 19. It does have jurisdiction and responsibility for side streets within city limits.
Lowering all side streets to 15 MPH was never seriously considered. “Some streets are safe at 25,” said Kovalck. “They are wider, bigger streets.”
Concerns came from residents who had to cross their street to get to their mailbox, but the speed of cars traversing their neighborhood worried them. Other areas of concern focus on the streets near the baseball field, football field, park, and other areas where children congregate.
Should the ordinance pass, it would have to enable a process by which citizens could petition the City to consider lowering the speed limit on their specific street. “Rules of who decides that,” as the Mayor put it, have not been determined. He said also “there’s a lot to it,” about creating a fair process of petition and selection.
Kovalck’s worries about the ordinance centered on potential confusion for police officers whose task it will be to enforce it. He shared, however, that “Chief Harbert is on board.”
Listening to citizen concerns and driving streets discussed for a lower speed limit have shifted the Mayor’s position somewhat. After driving some of those identified as areas of concern, Kovalck stated that “if you did 25 on them, you’d know how fast that is.”
Opinion is divided, both in the city and also with the Mayor. Kovalck shared that “Some people want it. Some people are against it too.” The Mayor worried about passing an ordinance that could result in hard feelings between neighbors who have different opinions on the subject.
He added that “I’m still undecided. I’ll listen to everyone’s argument and make the best decision.”
