The Dorr Township Board Tuesday evening voted to buy one flashing speed limit sign and a solar-powered radar sign to increase safety for pedestrians as motorists approach the heart of the community.
It was somewhat of a rarity because the move was the result of an amendment introduced by Trustee John Tuinstra, who said the township first should try out just one of four before purchasing all four, as originally proposed.
The solar-powered flashing sign will be purchased from Solar Traffic Systems. Four signs were supposed to cost Dorr $6,917. The radar sign that will flash “your speed” if the motorist is over the posted limit will cost almost $2,700, with the vendor being Traffic Logix.
Clerk Brian Boot, who was the strongest supporter of the move, said, “It’s just to alert motorists to when there’s going to be kids.”
Dorr has had several traffic tragedies in the past.
Tuinstra objected to the move at first, insisting, “We have probably too many signs already, and some of them conflict with each other.”
But Supervisor Jeff Miling said existing signs were put there by the Allegan County Road Commission and these four and the radar sign would replace them with more effective warnings in the interests of public safety.
Miling said the flashing sign likely will be installed near the recreational park just west of town.
But Joyce Kittlaus in the audience insisted the park is not where the greatest need is.
Maintaining the signs were “a waste of money,” she asked, “Who’s going to maintain them.
Treasurer Jim Martin said maintenance of the signs could be handled for just a few dollars a year.
