Results of Committee First Meeting:

The Traffic and Safety will submit official minutes of our most recent meeting in the coming week. I am pleased to report we have been productive, and are in the process of analyzing several issues relating to Main Street Improvements, and a wide range of town-wide traffic and safety issues. We are also in the process of reviewing the documented history of these issues as recorded by previous councils, committees, and professional traffic engineers hired by the town. We are planning a strategy to work with the fund-raising committee for the purpose of acquiring additional grant funds earmarked for improvements which would be recommended by our committee in the future.

Please find the following (2) recommendations made by the Traffic and Safety Committee to the Mayor and Town Council. As these are our first recommendations, please advise if you prefer an alternate format.

Recommendation #1
The Town of Clifton Traffic and Safety Committee hereby recommends to the Mayor and Town Council that our committee, or another entity of the Council's choosing, be tasked at the next Council Meeting with initiating the process of accessing funds from the ISETEA Grant previously approved with the assistance of Representative Tom Davis. Our committee, if tasked, will assign an individual, or individuals from our committee to manage the grant process and report monthly, or as required, to the Town Council on progress made. Subsequent to acquisition of this grant funding The Traffic and Safety Committee anticipates making recommendations to the Council as to its use.

Recommendation #2
The Town of Clifton Traffic and Safety Committee hereby recommends to the Mayor and Town Council that the Town make immediate request of Delegate Tim Hugo for assistance in revising our Town Charter for the purpose of gaining authority to institute a town-wide speed limit between 15-20 MPH. The ability to institute an enforceable speed limit within this range will help the town restore balance to the relationship between pedestrain and motorist. Given that Clifton has an unusual mix of commercial, residential, institutional, and park uses which promote high pedestrian activity, and inasmuch as the scale of Clifton pre-dates widespread use of the automobile there is much concern within the town that current speed limits are not doing enough to restrict motorists who frequently drive at potentially dangerous speeds. Furthermore, the intimate proportions of houses and sidewalks to streets, and the lack of elevated curb and gutter, and limited sidewalk widths all combine to make the pedestrian vulnerable. Additionally, the proximity of housing to street traffic makes slower motorist speeds preferable for the purpose of maintaining a quality of life which becomes a functional neighborhood. For these reasons the Town of Clifton should immediately seek authority to set a town-wide speed limit, of our choosing, between 15-20 MPH which shall be enforceable by law, and supported by VDOT.

These recommendations are made on behalf of the members of the Traffic and Safety Committee.

Sincerely,

Dwayne Nitz
Chairman Clifton Traffic and Safety Committee