Canada Road stop sign rejected by Town Council

By BARBARA WOOD

A request to protect children and pedestrians and discourage speeding commuters from Canada Road in Woodside by adding another stop sign met with little sympathy from the Woodside Town Council on March 24.

On a 5-1 vote, the council rejected a request by nearby resident Theresa Brown to place a stop sign at Olive Hill Lane and Canada Road. Only Councilwoman Carroll Ann Hodges voted for the new stop sign.

"There's no safe way to get from Olive Hill to the town-built sidewalk on the other side (of Canada)," said Ms. Brown, the mother of two Woodside Elementary School students.

Ms. Brown said the speed and volume of cars on Canada has increased recently, especially during commute hours when nearby Interstate 280 is backed up.

But the stop sign met opposition from another group of nearby residents. "We are vigorously opposed to the stop sign," said Warren Merrill, who, along with several of his neighbors, signed a letter complaining that a stop sign could give a false sense of security to pedestrians, and cause noise, air and visual pollution.

Council members appeared to agree. "Stop signs are not a speed-reducing mechanism," said Mayor Pete Bohley.

"I think we would create more problems than we would solve," said Councilman Joe Putnam.

Mr. Bohley and Mr. Putnam were joined in voting against the stop sign by council members William McSherry, John Blake and Clifford Greyson.