Traffic Task Force focuses on education and planning

Maricopa’s Traffic Task Force met for the first time this month. Volunteer members included several engineers, various members of the Public Safety Advisory Committee, representatives from the Sheriff’s Office, a realtor and several concerned citizens. Ken Edwards was named chairman, and Lisa Foltz will serve as recording secretary.

Vice-Mayor Brent Murphree, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, explained, “We’re really just taking a look at traffic and seeing what we can do about this situation.” He noted that the Task Force is a subcommittee of the Public Safety Committee; he also expressed the need to include city staff and someone from the Public Works Department, “so they can hear and know what we’re doing and the direction we’re going. The main thing,” added Murphree, “is that we want productive solutions. We don’t want to be a forum for citizen complaints. We want to try to solve as much as we can right here.”

Committee members discussed the scope and focus of the Task Force. “We need to look ahead,” stated Christopher Labye. “We need to have infrastructure so, if something happens to one road, we’re not completely cut off.”

“We need to learn from other cities, both their successes and failures,” added Carl Diedrich.

Traffic on John Wayne Parkway through Maricopa is always steady–and often rapid.

Enforcement was another issue the group felt needed to be addressed. Jim Gerard noted, “We need a ‘not in my town’ attitude; too many residents speed through town.” Another concern was traffic though town headed to Rocky Point or San Diego.

Sergeant Roy Polmanteer told the group, “The Sheriff’s Office is working very well with the city. Lieutenant Elliott will soon have a two-man enforcement unit who will go with zero tolerance. They will be pro-enforcement, including DUI and critical accident enforcement.”

Public information, education and awareness were considered primary focus areas for the group. Gerard suggested a new residents’ guide, indicating such things as legal areas for four-wheeling. “We need to promote a mind set of safety and safety awareness,” he said.

The overall goals of the Traffic Task Force will be education, short-term planning for both the city and the region, as well as long-term planning and seeking solutions for growth. “We need to be very proactive in long-term planning for our city,” noted Sergeant Polmanteer.

The next meeting of the Traffic Task Force will be at 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 14, at the Public Works facility.