Students’ request heard

From now on if anyone wants to make a change in their community, the best way to go about it may be to copy the actions of an academic group from Lynnville-Sully Community School District: re-enact a skit in front of elected officials at a public meeting illustrating a solution to the problem.

If only, right?

The Jasper County Board of Supervisors voted 3-0 Tuesday in favor of supporting a resolution setting the speed limits to 25 mph on Highway F62, located east of Sully near the Lynville-Sully school buildings. Signs will tell motorists to gradually decrease their speed when approaching the school.

This action was in response to the action requested by students of the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Error 404 team at the Jan. 7 board of supervisors meeting. While wearing cardboard cutout vehicles and using hockey sticks as road crossing bars, students asked something be done about the crosswalk.

Motorists, they argued, consistently run the red light at the school crosswalk, putting the lives of students and teachers in danger. The group presented testimonials from the crossing guard, data from Iowa Department of Transportation and equipment quotes to support their argument.

Students proposed a crosswalk be installed along the busy street, which sees close to 3,000 vehicles per day. Research estimated the cost to be between $14,000 and $22,000 for installation, the group determined. Error 404 also pitched its idea to the school and local city council representatives.

Supervisors praised the students for their initiative and said they would have Jasper County Engineer Russ Stutt take a better look at the issue. Stutt told supervisors that the City of Sully contacted the county and was in favor of reducing the speed limit.

“In the past, the school had requested it but the city was not willing to do it. We’ve always said we would go whichever way the city wanted to go,” Stutt said, noting he had been contacted by the city council and Sully Mayor Brent Vander Molen approving the change.

The speed limit would be set at 25 mph beginning at the intersection of East 124th Street South/Nine Avenue, near the Casey’s General Store in Sully; this speed will stay in place for 1,500 feet eastbound before increasing to 35 mph, then to 45 mph after 800 feet and 55 mph after another 800 feet.

Jasper County Supervisor Chair Brandon Talsma questioned whether this measure would actually help anything. He called upon Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty for input, who said authorities will enforce whatever speed limit that is in place but couldn’t say if it would help or hinder.

“I think there’s some congestion issues just because of location with the school and then that’s a main highway, a lot of truck traffic and different traffic through there,” Halferty said. “I’m hesitant to say a reduction will help. I don’t know if we can monitor it in a way…It’s really unknown to me whether it’s going to helpful.”

Regardless, the sheriff added he is not opposed to either decision. Denny Carpenter, vice-chair of the board of supervisors, claimed the traffic light by the school “stays on for three minutes,” which should give children “enough time to walk two blocks.” Talsma doubted Carpenter’s time estimate.

“It’s longer than what it should be, but I don’t think it’s three minutes,” Talsma said. “Obviously I think we all know where this is coming from. I’m just wondering whether it’s actually going to help rectify this situation, this problem that’s going on, or … (if) it’s not going to go about solving the root problem.”

Stutt interjected and said it might slow down the speed of the vehicles, but does not know if it will help the congestion problems. Carpenter suggested parents dropping off their kids for school — instead of buses — may be the cause for some of that congestion.

Jasper County Supervisor Doug Cupples said he has yet to see the congestion for himself. Talsma, who has worked in the area, has both seen the traffic jams and has also witness drivers speeding past the red light. He, too, is not opposed to dropping the speed limit, but acknowledged there are still issues.

“From what I’ve seen when people run it most of the time, it’s local. It’s not even like it’s people who are unfamiliar with the area,” Talsma said.

Cupples added, “In a lot of places there is a speed reduction during school times and during certain times, and then it comes back up outside of that. I don’t know if it’s worth it over 10 mph. And if it’s something we don’t like … we can change it.”

Dennis Parrott, the county auditor, interjected, “It’s harder to increase speed than it is to reduce ‘em.”

Still, Talsma conceded that it is a school zone and probably should have been set at 25 mph to begin with. Before deciding on a vote, the supervisors chair wanted to know why the 25mph speed limit signs are already installed in the Sully location. Stutt said the county hasn’t changed its signs but the city had.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com