On or about April 22, Rick Brown, Director of Wildwood's Public Works installed reflective arrow signs in our mini roundabouts. Rick is refusing to remove these signs based on a 2009 manual stating they are required. The MUTCD foreword and section 2B-43, states the the manual is a guidance for professionals not a requirement. See below:
"The Standard, Guidance, Option, and Support material described in this edition of the MUTCD provide the transportation professional with the information needed to make appropriate decisions regarding the use of traffic control devices on streets, highways, bikeways, and private roads open to public travel."
"Section 2B.43 Roundabout Directional Arrow Signs (R6-4, R6-4a, and R6-4b) Guidance:"
It further gives the following guidance:
Section 2B.44 Roundabout Circulation Plaque (R6-5P) Guidance: 01 Where the central island of a roundabout does not provide a reasonable place to install a sign, Roundabout Circulation (R6-5P) plaques (see Figure 2B-20) should be placed below the YIELD signs on each approach. Option: 02 At roundabouts where Roundabout Directional Arrow signs and/or ONE WAY signs have been installed in the central island, Roundabout Circulation plaques may be placed below the YIELD signs on approaches to roundabouts to supplement the central island signs. 03 The Roundabout Circulation plaque may be used at any type of circular intersection.
The manual specifically provides guidance for mini roundabouts, which our roundabouts fall under. The manual specifically provides GUIDANCE that plaques can be placed on Yield signs for mini roundabouts that go one direction. See attachment from section 2B-44 in the top of photo explicitly detailing the guidance for how reflection roundabout signs may be placed regarding mini roundabouts.
This is something Rick's department had already done at the roundabout located at Old State Road/Old Fairway Road/Nantucket Island Drive prior to the Roundabout Directional Arrows placed on April 22 in the roundabout. It also gives guidance on placing an additional sign when approaching the roundabout, if deemed necessary.
On May 7, Rick removed all the approaching plaques and roundabout plaques that already had been on Yield signs instead of removing the signs we have asked him, Mayor Jim Bollin: JBowlin@cityofwildwood.com, Joe Garritano: JGarritano@cityofwildwood.com, Michael Gillani: mgillani@cityofwildwood.com,Steve Cross: scross@cityofwildwood.com to remove.
Rick has been in this position for 4 years and our neighborhood roundabouts have been here for more than 20 years. These signs are a waste of our tax payer money as well as adds to the sign pollution already saturating the "natural" settings of our neighborhoods. I have asked Rick and the Mayor to provide statistics regarding the number of speeding tickets issued over the past 20 years for individuals going the incorrect direction around the roundabouts and the number of accidents; however, neither have provided that information. For 15 plus years we have asked for more police presence to reduce the speed of vehicles using our neighborhood as a cut through because more signs, speed bumps, "what is your speed" electronic signs have been used and all have failed. More signs is not what we need. We need more tickets issued so people slow down.
If the City of Wildwood finds it absolutely necessary to install more signs, we have asked them to put plaques under the existing Yield signs to avoid more sign pollution and remove the large signs that take away the aesthetics that our neighborhoods represent.
I want to thank Joe Garritano for having an open ear and continuing to help our community. However, we need more support and we need it from you.
Please sign this petition and email/call our Mayor to support our efforts.
Thank you
Karyn
