City decision-makers are having second thoughts on a proposal to raise the speed limit on 9-1/4 Avenue along Hamilton Elementary School and Freedom Park.

On Tuesday, at the urging of Councilman Dan Chin, the Hanford City Council agreed to table the matter for at least a month giving itself time to explore some other ways to ensure motorist and pedestrian safety.

Based on a traffic study done in February, city engineers were recommending to raise the speed limit in the area to 40 mph from 25 mph. The half-mile stretch of the east Hanford road needs a new speed limit based on a traffic study to allow traffic enforcement by police.

"It doesn't affect the current school zone which is in place, and it is in place during school hours," said Deputy Public Works Director John Doyel, adding that motorists are required to drive at 25 mph when children are present.

But Chin wasn't convinced that raising a higher speed limit is the answer to ensuring adequate safety in the city's popular family activity center.

"(Freedom Park), in many ways is my baby. I have tremendous ownership over that. But more importantly, it's been a great park for the city," Chin said. "We've done so well with it. Now is not the time to do harm."

The joint venture with the elementary school district, which provided Hanford's first all-accessible park next to Hanford's newest elementary school, was a brainchild of Chin, who represents the area. Hamilton School opened two years ago and the park a year ago.

In a move to set a reasonable speed limit in the area, the city conducted a traffic study, which showed that 85 percent of the motorists drove at 45 mph. Doyel said. But officials were recommending the speed limit be set 5 mph lower to provide additional pedestrian and bicyclist safety.

Uneasy with the recommendation, Chin even threw on the table the idea of installing speed bumps in the area -- an idea traditionally rejected by the city because of their legal liability potential.

"Philosophically, the city of Hanford has always been opposed to speed bumps. Perhaps, this is the time to search and investigate whether this would be an appropriate place for speed bumps," Chin said.

His colleagues weren't opposed to having more time to think about the speed limit issues on 9-1/4. But the idea of speed bumps didn't sit too well with them.

"I don't think speed bumps are a very good idea," said Councilman Dave Thomas. "But if you feel so strongly about that, we can have more time to think about it."

Vice Mayor David Ayers suggested the council pass the ordinance anyway with a lower speed limit of 35 mph instead. Meanwhile, the city can monitor how well it does and, if necessary, it could revisit the issue later, he said.

"I have no problem with coming down 9-1/4 from Lacey at 45 (mph) to the four-way stop, slowing down to 35 (mph) and then eventually coming down to 25 (mph). That's pretty common around the area," Ayers said. "I'm not comfortable with the idea of road bumps."

The city council eventually voted 4-0, with Councilwoman Marcie Buford absent, to postpone the decision on the speed limit.

In other business, the city council approved the appropriation of Homeland Security grant to purchase a new $295,000 public safety software named SMART for the police department.

Officials say the new software provides interoperability with police departments of Corcoran, Lemoore as well as Kings County Sheriff's Department and enhances efficient sharing of information among the agencies.

The cities of Lemoore and Corcoran are also preparing to move forward with the shared information system. Chief Carlos Mestas said Kings County is the first in the state to switch over to the SMART system to allow for the electronic sharing of information.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2429.

(Aug. 20, 2008)