I sit here finally fed up with the street racing, which goes on here on a somewhat regular basis. It begins promptly at 9:30 p.m. and lasts approximately 15 minutes each night and some nights residents who live up here are treated to late night racing on the roundabout somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 p.m. or later. What prompted my contacting Red Phone is the death recently in San Jose by a senseless game of the same variety. Young males fueled by too much testosterone who feel it necessary to take their frustrations out by engaging in this risky behavior. Did you not learn a lesson from the two idiots who decided their pleasure was more important than the young girl’s life and who now sit in Santa Clara County jail? Apparently not or you wouldn’t be driving like a maniac as I sit here writing this now.
Red Phone:
Red Phone sympathizes with you, good caller, because Red Phone also anticipates accidents happening when reckless driving occurs. Thanks to you, something will be done about it. Red Phone contacted Sgt. Kurt Ashley in the Traffic Division of the Gilroy Police Department and informed him of the street racing.
Sgt. Ashley said, “This is the first I’m hearing about any possible street racing in the area of a roundabout. The only roundabout currently in town is located at Luchessa and Thomas.” This roundabout, the first in Gilroy, was built in September 2014.
Sgt. Ashley continued, “We would normally have received the complaints through phone calls to our dispatch center, directly to the traffic supervisor, or our web reporting system. No complaints have come in about this issue since the roundabout was constructed.”
“ I will advise our patrol staff of the issue and direct some enforcement in that area during the evening hours”, said Sgt. Ashley. So, thanks to you, good caller, your neighbors will hopefully find relief from the noise, and comfort that the police will apprehend these reckless drivers.
For those who experience reckless driving in your neighborhood, please contact the police department, because we are the eyes and ears of the police. For those who drive recklessly, well, your evenings are numbered!
A major north-south road in the middle of the city is all torn up for new pipes and resurfacing and folks are wondering what’s going on and when it will be completed. It’s the Eigleberry St. project between 1st and 10th streets.
Red Phone:
Thank you, good caller, for bringing this situation to the attention of Red Phone. Red Phone fortunately does not drive down this street of turmoil, but is more than willing to find some relief and answers for the good citizens of Gilroy.
According to the well-informed Gilroy Traffic Engineer, Henry Servin, and I quote, “The Eigleberry Street changes are much and many. We are really proud to launch these much needed improvements.”
Servin explained, “The underground fresh water service was getting at the end of its useful life and needed to be replaced. Over the last three years the city has experienced a number of water line breaks and the service needing constant repair. We have let out a contract to replace the water lines along Eigleberry from Tenth Street to First Street.
The project is underway and is estimated to be complete by mid-summer, said Servin, adding, “At the corner of Sixth and Eigleberry, near the Veteran’s Hall we needed to address the crosswalks, sidewalks, and night-time lighting concerns due to an increase in pedestrian activity.
We installed additional lighting, new ADA-mandated handicap ramps, and reduced street openings to calm the traffic a bit. The project is about done, and we are waiting for a bit of dry-scaping.”
For those who may not know, ADA means “Americans with Disabilities Act”.
Servin said, “We will repave Eigleberry from Tenth St. to First St. in the summer. To the extent practical, we will replace curbs, ADA ramps, and do other minor improvements along the way. The project will take about 3-4 months.”
The Eigleberry Project Managers are Operations Manager David Stubchaer and Civil Engineer Ian King. Red Phone would like to thank Mr. Stubchaer, Mr. King, and Mr. Servin for the fine work they are doing in sprucing up Gilroy!
