Downtown speeding a problem in Tryon
Published 2:21 pm Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Speeding enforcement in downtown Tryon could be increased after concerns were raised at a council meeting last week.
Tryon Town Council met Nov. 20 and heard from commissioner George Baker that he has concerns about drivers speeding downtown.
“I continue to have concerns about people zipping downtown,” Baker said. “We’ve got to do something about this. I have nightmares about somebody getting whacked.”
Tryon Town Manager Caitlin Martin said that she and police chief Jeff Arrowood have discussed signs that go in crosswalks stating drivers should stop for pedestrians, which is state law.
Baker said he doesn’t have a problem with installing signs but he’d also like to see a few tickets going out.
“No warnings,” Baker said.
Tryon Mayor Alan Peoples said another possibility is to have more marked crosswalks like Landrum and Hendersonville. Landrum recently marked downtown crosswalks with stamped concrete that looks like brick.
“You can see from a distance that it’s a crosswalk,” Peoples said.
Commissioner Doug Arbogast said he’d very much like to see the signs at the crosswalks.
“If someone gets hit in one of those crosswalks it’s going to look cheap to have one of those signs,” Baker added.
The speed limit in downtown Tryon is 20 mph and the issue of speeding downtown has come up in council meetings throughout the years. The N.C. Department of Transportation installed crosswalk signs a couple of years ago, but they haven’t seemed to deter speeding through town.