What are the planned infrastructure improvements for Day Road
and Santa Teresa which surrounds Christopher High School, prior to
the opening to relieve traffic congestion when the school opens?
Thank you.

“What are the planned infrastructure improvements for Day Road and Santa Teresa which surrounds Christopher High School, prior to the opening to relieve traffic congestion when the school opens? Thank you.”

Dear Anxious, Red Phone is counting the days until Gilroy has two high schools. This will be a big change in many ways, one being the traffic as you have said.

So Don Dey, city transportation engineer, was contacted. He said the school district will be widening both Day Road and Santa Teresa Boulevard, putting in an extra travel lane for each of these roadways and putting up traffic signals at three intersections. The traffic signals will be at Day Road West and Cougar Court, Day Road West and Santa Teresa Boulevard, Day Road East and Santa Teresa Boulevard.

“I am hoping all of these roadway improvements are finished before the high school opens at the end of August 2009,” Dey said.

John Perales is the Christopher High School principal, and about 600 ninth and 10th graders will be attending next fall.

Fire fighters need to do more for city

“I was reading the paper today (Tues. Nov. 18), the Red Phone, the section about how fire personnel should help police out as well. I was just wondering, the firefighters in Gilroy, why don’t they go out and do inspections? Also, why don’t they do their own gardening? As far as I know departments in other places, they do their own gardening, they mow their own lawn and everything. So they don’t have to pay anyone. And they also do inspections. I believe Gilroy pays someone. Just wondering because that would probably save money for Gilroy. Thank you.”

Dear Green Thumb, Red Phone understands we all want our city employees to be efficient and do the most, just as any employer would want the same. Red Phone contacted Gilroy Fire Department Chief Dale Foster. He said the Gilroy fire fighters do indeed do inspections along with the staff from the Building, Life and Environmental Safety Division in the city. The fire fighters also go to businesses to learn its setup and operation.

For the maintenance aspect, Foster said many city facilities have a contract landscape maintenance company do that work so as not to deter from other issues needing attention.

“If fire fighters spend time doing landscape maintenance they will have less time to do training, interior station and equipment maintenance and inspection work,” said Foster.

So, good caller, it appears their focus is on saving lives rather than making their gardens look good.

Wearing bike helmet still a law

“Having just read the cell phone question I was prompted to ask about the California helmet law. Doesn’t it apply to anyone under 18? And, why haven’t I ever seen a Gilroy police or any officer pull over a child without a helmet? Having cared for a head trauma victim, it is NO fun.”

Dear Worried, Red Phone understands the fine line between wearing a helmet and being ok and not wearing a helmet. So Red Phone contacted Sgt. Jim Gillio, spokesman for the Gilroy Police Department. Gillio said the helmet law does apply to minors and the department enforces that “as time permits.”

“Very recently we had a helmet law ‘crack down’ to educate our youth about this law,” Gillio said.

At that time, the department also handed out warnings and citations.

So, parents should continue to enforce this rule with children because then it might become a habit as they enter adulthood. Although it is not a law for adults to wear their helmets, it is still a good idea.

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