Lompoc city leaders are working to address ongoing traffic safety concerns and they want to hear from the public.
“I have a truck and trailer, so I have to make sure I am a little behind the cars in front of me because I am heavier on the road,” said Brandon Alvarez, owner of Central Coast Junk Removal.
He says he drives his truck around town daily for work, adding that he takes extra precautions when driving down H Street during peak commute hours.
“I was coming out right there by Ross, and as soon as I poked out, there was a truck behind me that ended up going off and clipping another car,” Alvarez recalled. “Just situations like that where they may need to have more traffic control there or easier access to control the cars coming in and out of traffic from the light.”
Through October 11, Lompoc residents like Alvarez are encouraged to weigh in on ongoing traffic issues in the city, which the city's public information officer, Samantha Scroggin, says will be used to implement possible changes to increase safety.
“This feedback will be used to make improvements in town that could include flashing beacons, stoplight locations, and how traffic lights are operating in the city,” she told KSBY.
On the survey, users can access an interactive map to pinpoint specific locations where traffic improvements may be needed.
Alvarez, who has lived in Lompoc all of his life, says he has taken notice of recent roadway enhancements near local schools.
“Some of the schools never had pedestrian signs where the sign lights up and stuff. There are a lot more of those now. Down toward Ocean [Avenue], they are adding a lot more, just in front of schools in general,” he said.
Scroggin says Lompoc’s Local Roads Safety Plan will allow the city to apply for future grant applications for measures to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety as well as cut down on speeding collisions.
“The City of Lompoc is also gathering collision data in addition to seeking feedback from the community and having the interactive map, so this all kind of goes together,” Scroggin explained. “We are aware of areas of town that are particularly dangerous, and that data will help us move forward with our plan.”
It is expected that the City of Lompoc’s Road Safety Plan will be available to the public by December and taken up by the city council soon after.
You can find a link to the survey by clicking here: https://ghd.mysocialpinpoint.com/lompoc
