PAGE A12, KEIZERTIMES, APRIL 20, 2018
Delight project attracts renewed
support at traffic safety meeting
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
Supporters of an improvement project along
Delight Street North turned out in force at a
meeting of the Keizer Traffic Safety, Bikeways
and Pedestrian (TBP) Committee Thursday,
April 12.
Sensing the project was losing the backing
of the committee, members of the West Keiz-
er Neighborhood Association (WKNA) took
turns during public testimony vouching for the
project’s need. Members of the TBP have spent
most recent meetings looking for and evaluating
projects that might be submitted for the grant
funding through a transportation funding pack-
age approved by the Oregon Legislature in 2017.
While the grant money has not yet been made
available, members of the committee would like
to have a project worthy of recommendation
when the Oregon Department of Transporta-
tion (ODOT) opens the gates.
The TBP committee began looking at the
need for improvements like sidewalks and bike
lanes in the area around Cummings Elementary
School north to Chemawa Road North, but a
project to add similar features so the area around
Kennedy Elementary School has also been a hot
topic of discussion.
Carol Doerfler, president of the WKNA, en-
couraged the committee to pick the Cummings
project.
“Cummings is designated as a walking school
served by one standard bus and two smaller for
special needs students,” Doerfler said. “We are
here asking and encouraging your support for
the kids of west Keizer. They deserve it.”
Members of the WKNA board, along with
Cummings Principal Martina Mangan, have
spoken regularly at city meetings in support of
additional safety features along Delight, which
also serves as a major walking route to McNary
High School.
Doerfler added that Cummings is slated to
become a Title 1 school again this September
after moving beyond that designation for the
2017-18 year. Title 1 schools are those with
high percentages of students coming from low-
income families. One of the reasons committee
members began taking a harder look at the Ken-
nedy Elementary area was its Title 1 designation.
“I was president of (WKNA) when we start-
ed this in 2014. I’m a little surprised that we are
starting discussions of another school as a prior-
ity,” said Rhonda Rich. “We’re here to put this
at the forefront because we feel like it’s getting
pushed back in the queue again.”
“Both schools have issues and that’s why we
are discussing them,” responded David Demp-
ster, a member of the committee.
Each project has a number of potential ben-
efits. Delight serves two schools, including the
largest one in the city, but improving safety in
the area around Kennedy could enhance access
to the city core and bus routes from east Keizer
neighborhoods.
While the committee has not settled on a
single project, member Pat Fisher suggested
looking into a Project Identification grant ad-
ministered through ODOT.
“One of the managers said Keizer seemed
like a good candidate and that would help us
get past the stage of lists and looking at which
packages can compete for funding,” Fisher said.
As the committee seeks to assist schools in
traffic management, Committee Member Mike
DeBlasi suggested looking into a pilot program
whereby the city would invest in temporary
traffic controls such as bolt-in raised curbs, bol-
lards and other devices that could be used direct
traffic, and train drivers, around school areas.
“The idea would be to create a cache of traf-
fic calming devices that schools throughout the
city can apply to use throughout the system,”
DeBlasi said.
KPD on the lookout for stoned drivers
If you’re planning on cel-
ebrating April 20 by lighting
up a joint, you should prob-
ably hide your car keys first.
The Keizer Police Depart-
ment is deploying extra DUII
patrols to look for impaired
drivers.
April 20 (aka 420) is known
for being the most widely cel-
ebrated cannabis holiday and
with that, comes a percent-
age of irresponsible users who
choose to drive a vehicle after
consuming.
The Keizer Police De-
partment is urging motorists
to plan a safe ride home and
never get behind the wheel
while impaired.
There are four types of
drugs; illegal, legal non-me-
dicinal, prescription medi-
cations and over-the-coun-
ter. Depending on how the
drug is used any drug can
increase the risk of an injury
crash. If the drug is used in
combination with an alco-
holic beverage, the risk factors
increase exponentially.
Additional DUII patrols
are looking to stop and arrest
drivers who are impaired by
alcohol or drugs. These DUII
patrols are, in addition to
regularly scheduled patrol of-
ficers, all looking for the tell-
tale signs of an impaired driv-
er behind the wheel. During
St. Patrick’s Day last month,
officers stopped and corrected
numerous violations and ar-
rested one driver for impaired
driving.
Pucker up!
Saturday, May 19
Lemonade Day is the national event that teaches kids how a business
works by operating a lemonade stand. With help from parents and
sponsors, kids create their own recipe, build a stand and sell lemonade.
Create a recipe • Design a stand
Attract investors • Do it alone or with friends
Presented by
Learn more at
salemkeizer.lemonadeday.org
Main Squeeze Sponsors
Fresh Squeeze Sponsors
Lemon Drop Sponsors
Media Partners
Not all
hot air
Braedoe Bueoy, left, aed Jesus
Martieez, tuba players ie McNary’s
wied eesemble, hold the third place
trophy woe at the Greater Valley
Coefereece baed competitioe oe
Friday, April 13 at West Salem High
School.
Niee high schools performed.
Sprague fieished first, followed by
West Salem aed McNary. The wied
eesemble, directed by Jeeeifer
Bell, will perform at the state baed
competitioe oe Saturday, May 12 at
Oregoe State Ueiversity.
Submitted