Residents Concerned About Speed On Sycamore Valley Road

News of a fatal car crash Monday afternoon has many residents questioning the safety of the current speed limit on Sycamore Valley Road.

Two people died after their vehicle was struck as it headed southbound on Brookside Drive by another vehicle traveling west on Sycamore Valley Road.

Several Patch readers say they believe drivers are going too fast on Sycamore Valley Road and are calling for the 45 mph speed limit to be reduced.

They also expressed a need for greater monitoring and enforcement along the road by Danville police.

Glen, who said he lives along Camino Tassajara and Sycamore Valley roads, is not surprised there are so many accidents.

“Everyone runs the red lights and talks on their cell phones while driving,” he wrote in the comments section. “The police are nowhere. We need to contact city officials and demand they start enforcing traffic laws along these roads or more people will die. Enough is enough.”

“Sprtndad” believes a reduced speed would be safer along “what has become an interstate highway through residential neighborhoods with an abundance of teenage drivers.”

“Lowering the speed allows drivers a bit more time to see the red lights they are about to run,” he said. “It lowers the impact if they do run the light. It gives everyone more time to take some evasive action.”

Norma Kvool pointed out that lowering a speed limit only works if it is enforced. She is skeptical that a slower speed alone would make accidents less deadly.

“The goal should be to reduce or eliminate these T-bone accidents all together,” Kvool said. “Does Danville have any red light cameras? From personal observation they seem to work in other communities.”

Residents also expressed concern about the extended right lane along Sycamore from Brookside to the Interstate 680 on-ramp.

“I go through this intersection every day, and ever since the city redesigned/extended the right lane for the freeway ramp all the way back to Brookside, it's become much dicier for drivers trying to turn westbound onto Sycamore from Brookside,” wrote Pete.

He said cars will often get into the right turn lane as they approach Brookside, but they won't turn there.

“They think it's a continuation of the right lane for the freeway ramp and continue straight,” he said. “A driver on Brookside trying to turn right assumes the oncoming driver is going to turn onto Brookside, but they don't.”

Julie, another resident, agrees.

“I live off Brookside and drivers use that third lane as an extension of Sycamore and do not turn right,” she said. “The lane should say right turn only with an arrow. If you turn out of Brookside on a daily basis, multiple times a day, you will see at least one person run a light or not turn at Brookside and proceed straight through the light.

Michael Fryer, who has lived in Danville for 35 years, has also witnessed dangerous driving on Sycamore Valley Road.

“I drive through the Sycamore/Brookside intersection every day,” Fryer said. “Nine times out of 10, I see someone run the light.”

She and a few other residents mentioned that driving westbound on Sycamore in the late afternoon glare can be dangerous because it is difficult to see whether the light is red or green.

“There is too much speed and too much of not paying attention,” she said. “We all need to be more aware.”

Fryer pointed out another troublesome spot in the neighborhood: Turning left from Hartz Avenue onto Sycamore Valley Road.

“Whenever I am turning left, there’s someone in the far right lane to go south on 680, and instead of getting on the freeway, they cut over front of me,” she said. “It’s not exactly clear by the signage what everyone is supposed to do. It really needs to be reassessed.”

Fryer, who lives near Osage Park and is part of a neighborhood watch program, encourages residents to form neighborhood groups and contact Danville officials to offer their help.

“The only positive I can see from this horrible event would be if changes were made by the community and by officials,” she said. “Danville has so many areas where people could form committees and have concerns addressed. I think we can be part of the solution.”

City officials did not return calls from Patch seeking comment.