Page residents express county road concerns

Concerns from landowners about the speed of traffic, traveling on a three-mile stretch of 868 Road, north of Page, were brought to the attention of Holt County Supervisors during Monday's meeting in O'Neill.

Dan Hanlon, of Page, said people"fly by" at high rates of speed between 501 and 504 avenues.

At least three residents along the stretch, who have children and grandchildren, have posted yellow caution signs noting children are in the area.

One of the signs, posted by a residence near the intersection of 868 Road and 504 Avenue, includes a speed limit of 25 miles per hour.

The signs don't seem to help, according to Hanlon.

Earlier this year, when a box culvert was replaced on the county blacktop road north of Page, 868 Road was the marked detour.

According to residents, it's still used as an alternate route and some travelers exceed the state-set speed limit of 50 miles per hour on a non-surfaced county road.

Chairman Bill Tielke said requests can be made to put up the yellow signs denoting children in the area.

"Yellow, for the simplest terms, is only a recommendation," he said.

Tielke asked Holt County Attorney Brent Kelly to weigh in.

Kelly asked if residents along the route would be bothered if people were abiding by the speed limit.

"Do we need to find a way to try to change the speed limit or do we need to find a way to enforce the speed limit that's already there?" Kelly asked.

Supervisor Doug Frahm said speeding on the route is an enforcement issue.

"You have to assume they're speeding and the only way you you're going to stop them from speeding is to have someone out there to stop them," he said.

According to Hanlon, residents have expressed concerns to individuals who exceed the speed limit.

"It doesn't make a dang bit of difference to them ... I know people are in a hurry to get stuff done, but what's it going to take? We've told our grandkids, 'Don't go out in the road,'" Hanlon said.

Tielke said while he's sympathetic to the situation, supervisors cannot "hodgepodge" speed limits.

To get an official white road sign, a traffic study would need to be conducted.

Kelly questioned if the addition of stop signs or a four-way stop would help.

"That's an option that might be on the table," Kelly said.

Tielke asked road superintendent Gary Connot what the procedure would be to add a stop sign.

Connot said a sign study would be required and criteria would need to be met.

"Typically, a stop sign is not used or not intended to slow traffic down. It's intended to stop the condition to allow for smooth traffic flow."

Connot said he, along with District One Supervisor Josh Treptow, traveled the road a week ago.

"Portions of this are pretty sandy. I was traveling 30 to 35 miles per hour and it was probably faster than I should've been driving," Connot said.

According to state statute 60-6,190, county officials have the authority to reduce the speed limit to 35 miles per hour, if a traffic study is conducted, comparable to the manner a state study is conducted.

Frahm reitereated the concerns are an enforcement issue.

"It we do it for one, theororetically, we've got to do it for everyone. I don't want to see anyone get hurt, but it's a public road. That road is made for people to drive on. And we have a speed limit. If we decrease that speed limit on that three-mile stretch, because of kids, farm animals, moving hay, we have to do it all across the county. We've got to look at the big picture.

Treptow suggested contacting local law enforcement.

Hanlon said he has addressed concerns with Holt County sheriff's investigator Steven Binkerd and will contact the sheriff.