Residents of Shenandoah shared their concerns regarding ongoing traffic issues, such as speeding, during a March 25 public hearing held as part of the city’s ongoing traffic study.
How we got here
Previously, a Traffic Analysis Committee made up of residents and a council member was created to identify traffic concerns in the Shenandoah Valley neighborhood located off Grogans Mill Road. The committee has discussed approaching traffic mitigation in phases, beginning with neighborhood entry points and later evaluating additional locations, as previously reported by Community Impact.
The city has shared a survey for residents to report what areas they feel are impacted by speeding vehicles. As of the meeting March 25, there were 129 responses, council member Joe Summerlin said.
In a statement to Community Impact, city officials later said, “At this time, we are not sharing detailed survey results as we want to avoid influencing or skewing additional responses while the survey is still open. So far, we have received 136 responses since the survey opened ... The write-in feedback has included many suggestions for roadways across Shenandoah, not just within the Shenandoah Valley neighborhood.”
Current situation
Mayor John Escoto addressed residents' concerns about Grogans Mill Road, noting it is a county road, so the city can not take action.
“We work with them, we suggested, and it got us a four-way stop at the intersection of Wellman [Road] and Grogans. We have also suggested they get those flashing stop signs to get more attention and to put signs on the curbs,” Escoto said at the meeting.
Public input
Marie Wise, a resident of one of the neighborhoods off Grogans Mill Road in Shenandoah, spoke about the speeding on the road impacting the residents trying to get in and out of their neighborhood.
“Some things we thought about were flashing lights for pedestrians, as well as a Flock camera. A Flock camera will not only prevent crime but it will also slow down drivers. We’re looking at this in how we can look at traffic safety, pedestrian protection and overall neighborhood safety,” Wise said.
Neighboring areas such as Conroe and The Woodlands have Flock cameras, which are stationary license plate readers, as previously reported by Community Impact.
Marie Nonburg, also a resident of a Shenandoah neighborhood along Grogans Mill Road, echoed the suggestion of a Flock camera or other preventative measures.
“We understand that the road is controlled and that the Flock cameras don't really get speeding data but there is probably some good information there that can protect our community. We are asking for simple and practical solutions to protect our community,” Nonburg said.
Before you go
Shenandoah residents can fill out the survey by visiting the city’s website.
