Luckily there are no injuries to report. 14 kindergartners and 3 adults escaped harm in what is sounding like a pretty wild accident.
From the A2 news:
"An Ypsilanti Township woman who declined to give her name said she was driving eastbound behind a Lincoln Consolidated Schools bus on Hitchingham Road east of Textile Road after noon. She said the bus swerved right to avoid an oncoming van.
The van scraped the left side of the bus, hit the rear wheel, and spun into the path of the Ypsilanti Township woman's car, she said. Her car was forced off the road and into a ditch, she said.
The impact knocked a tire off the bus, sending it across the road, through some brush and into a field."
Lincoln Superintendent Fred Williams:
"...they were terribly excited to tell me exactly what went on, and I mean they had details."
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8 comments:
That road is a train wreck. Thankfully, no children were injured. My son is a kindergartner at Lincoln and was on a different bus.
They just added stop signs at Merrit so it is now a four-way, which helps a little. However, if you ride down Hitchingham from Textile to Bemis (either direction), you will not see one speed limit sign. No one is a ware of the speed limit. I run down that road every morning and believe me, it is a freeway.
A couple of months ago I wrote the County Road commission pleading for some help but have not yet heard any response - other than the new stop signs they installed.
glimmertwinfan--
I think you might just have the needed ammunition to go back and make your case. You now have proof kids CAN be put at risk out there. Of course we don't know what caused the car to swerve towards the bus but when has that ever mattered in America?
You get after them to put up a speed limit sign, I think you're right, that WOULD help and it'd be cheapie to put up....
I have just again contacted the road commission referencing yesterday's incident. Hopefully something can get done.
Good luck on this glimmertwinfan, you're not asking for the moon, but instead a simple speed limit sign. The City Desk supports your efforts and would love for you to keep us updated. Tell us WHO you are talking to and if things are getting done.
Good job citizen!
Here is my communica with the road commission:
I have contacted this office before via a different link from the web site, but now I am emailing directly.
Hitchingham Road between Textile and Bemis. Thank you for the 4-way stop at Merritt.
However, there are still, as of last week, not one speed limit sign in either direction. I believe last year the sherriff had their portable radar gun trailer directed to the southbound traffic and it was marked 45 mph, however, there is no marking currently now that the trailer is gone.
The signs indicating passing is permitted and passing is not permitted certainly lead people to think that this is a 55 mph zone. Maybe it is, I don't know. But without any signs how is anyone to know for certain?
I run on that road every morning. On the sidewalks where there are some, and briefly on the road where sidewalks are not available. Very vew vehicles are travelling 45 mph, most travel like it is a freeway. Early in the morning it appears that stop signs are optional. The stop sign does help, but it still needs to be marked.
With Hitchingham currently serving as a detour for the Whittaker road construction, this road is even more dangerous than normal.
There are Lincoln bus stops on this road.
Yesterday there was yet another accident on this stretch of road involving children on a school bus. I can't say if speed was a factor but please, for heaven's sake, can we at least get some speed limit signs on this road?
Response:
Mr. XXXXX,
The speed limit for Hitchingham Road is unposted, therefore, the speed limit is prima facie 55 mph. We do not post these signs because every driver that has a license to operate a motor vehicle should understand that an unposted condition is 55 mph. I am not aware of the speed trailer that was posted along Hitchingham Road and the sign that was attached to it. We have reviewed this roadway for establishing a posted speed limit and the results indicated that 55 mph is appropriate. We will review the passing zones and if adjustments need to be made we will do so. If you have any other questions or concerns please contact me at 734-327-6697 or at schlackb@wcroads.org.
Sincerely,
Brent Schlack
Supervisor, Traffic and Safety Engineering
Follow up:
Thank you for the response. I don't agree with it, but thank you.
This road has not been paved all that long. It never was a "major artery" in the township until recently.
There is no shoulder, sidewalks that start and stop, school bus stops, several relatively new residential neighborhoods backing up to it, countless accidents (one recently serious enough to have have a teenager air-lifted to the hospital), countless children in the area, and now a bus full of young children involved in an accident.
If this doesn't warrant reevaluation I would certainly like to know your criteria for doing so.
Again the new stop signs are a significant help, but you could go further.
Thanks again,
"We do not post these signs because every driver that has a license to operate a motor vehicle should understand that an unposted condition is 55 mph"
Um Yeah we hope each driver should UNDERSTAND it's good to wear seat belts but we made a LAW for that.
"We do not post these signs because every driver that has a license to operate a motor vehicle should understand that an unposted condition is 55 mph"
I had what I call a "growth moment" and took a breath when I read that. I couldn't help but feel that he was trying to lay a dig on me, but I didn't want to change the tone of my correspondence. I just want a damn speed limit sign, and I want it it say 45 mph. I am not the lone crusader on this - other neighbors of mine agree.
My next step in this little battle will be to the Township. Maybe they can help. I haven't had a fight with them in a while. It will be good practice. :)
glimmertwinfan--
Simply initiate a petition drive or go to the local zoning board meetings. Take the decision OUT of Mr. Bureaucrat's hands.
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