Decision on school zone in front of Carson High postponed

What began as a proposal to create a 15 mph school zone in front of Carson High School turned into a discussion of traffic flows, student smoking and class times at a Carson City Regional Transportation Commission meeting Wednesday night.

The motion to create a 15 mph school zone in front on Saliman Road was tabled by Carson City transportation commissioners after city deputy engineer John Flansberg said the road had far more problems than just speed and crosswalks.

"As we delve into (Saliman Road) more, we find we have more than a speed issue ... we have a circulation issue," Flansberg told the commission.

While several Carson City residents pushed for a "school zone" designation in front of the school as a matter of public safety for the students, one of whom suffered a broken arm after being hit by a car in January, others complained about congestion on Saliman Road and said a school zone might make it worse.

Congestion on Saliman Road is already bad, one opponent of the school zone said, and slowing speeds down another 10 mph would back up traffic up for blocks.

"In California, their school zones are 25 miles-per-hour and they don't kill them (students) any faster than we do," said Carson City resident David Morgan.

Robin Browne, the mother of two Carson High School students who initially brought the proposal of a school zone to the city, railed for the 15 mph speed limit and new signage.

"We are the only high school in Northern Nevada that doesn't have school signs," she said.

Other supporters of the school zone also protested the city's proposal to raise the speed limit on the rest of Saliman Road from 25 mph to 35 mph, saying if the speed limit is 25 mph, people drive 35 mph and if the commission raised the limit to 35 mph, people would drive 45 mph.

Some members of the public who spoke at the meeting said much of the conflict between cars and walkers occur when throngs of students cross the street to get off school property so they can smoke.

"I find that very offensive that we have our 14, 15, 16-year-olds crossing a very busy street to smoke," said commissioner Charles Desjardins.

"The school board needs to be very proactive (in addressing it)."

Carson City School District Director of Operations said it's true, students do flock across the street to smoke and agreed it is a problem. He added, "I know there's a lot of criticism about kids, but they are our kids."

On the advice of the city's deputy engineer, the commission tabled the proposal until more research can be conducted on the traffic around the high school.

- Contact reporter Cory McConnell at cmcconnell@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.