09-28-1988 - Agenda Packet City Council - regular meeting

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Page Two August 31, 1988 I am enclosing photographs which Graphically demonstrate the inability of drivers and/or pedestrians to see one another due to an obstructed line of vision along the south side of County Road 51 from the point where parking is permitted to the east of the North Arm channel. The speed limit on the road at this location is 35 m.p.h. It is my understanding that a car travelling at that speed would take more then si.z car lengths to come to a complete stop from that speed, taking into account both the reaction and braking time. Clearly, the enclosed photographs demonstrate there is no margin of safety when the south side of the highway is used for bumper to bumper parking. The problim is particularly acute because boaters frequently drive vans or pickups which are particularly difficult to see over, or around. An additionatf actor exacerbating the risk .s the narrow width of the roadway and shoulder; which literally necessitates a pedestrian stepping into the roadway in order to determine if there is traffic coming. Even then, along the .2urve that is depicted in these photographs, the first line of sight for such traffic coming from the westerly direction would be around or less than six car lengths. I recognize the competing pressures with regard to maximizing lake usage for the public as well as the home owners. However, I respectfully suPaest that the issue in this instance cannot be postulated as a oalancing fo the competing interests of private property owners with the public. The issue is pure and simpie, one of safety, vis-a-vis convenience. A significant part of my professional life is involved in automobile accident litigation. From my professional experiences, and work with accident reconstruction experts in other matters, I hope I am not being prophetic in expressing my concern that this situation is an accident waiting to happen. The safety, health, or life of ;any child or adult is too high a price to pay, or too high a risk to take; for the sole purpose of adding twenty to thirty parking spots for the public using the North Arm boat launch, on the six to eight summer days when usage is heavy. I submit that the recommended lake wide goal of 700 parking spaces for boat launch users must look to some other solution than dangerous off street parking spaces.