The following is a chronology of events in the life-cycle of the Agnus Blockade. Pre-1994. Posted speed limit is set at 30 mph. 6-6-1994. Speed set by law at 25 mph. Mid-1997. Traffic Abatement Program adopted by City Council. Four levels of calming measures. 9-7-1998. Agnus petition to install stop sign at Gale Way and to slow speeders received by City. 9-2-1998. E-mail received by City from Agnus Resident reminding them that levels 1 and 2 tried. 11-1-1998. Mitron Company completes electronic speed survey on Agnus. 12-1-1998. Memo: Increase enforcement. Move 25 mph sign and add "Watch Downhill Speed." 2-1-1999. Letter received by City from Agnus resident asking for level 3 and 4 calming measures. 2-16-1999. Form sent to Agnus resident to complete for level 3 and 4 calming measures. 5-20-1999. Form for level 3 and 4 received from Agnus resident. Petition for half-closure received. 6-1-1999. City sent letter to area affected + pre-postcard survey. 8-23-1999. Work Order 99-5-130 sent to construction yard. (Half-closure). 8-26-1999. Southland Corp. completes car/speed "before" counts on Agnus Dr. 8-27-1999. W.O. 99-5-130 completed. THE AGNUS BLOCKADE IS BORN. 10-?-1999. Signal timing revised at Hillmont/Loma Vista. 10-?-1999. Tom Mericle promoted to City Transportation Engineer. Inherits Agnus Blockade mess. 10-27-1999. W.O. 99-5-168 to yard. "No access to Loma Vista" signs on Shamrock and Willowick. 11-4-1999. Southland Corp. completes car/speed "after" counts on Agnus Dr. 11-9-1999. W.O. 99-5-168. Completed. No access signs installed on Shamrock and Willowick. 11-16-1999. Petition against the Agnus Blockade received by City. 12-16-1999. City letter on results of Southland Corp. counts and follow-up postcard ballot survey. 1-25-2000. Postcard survey results. 115 ballots sent, 29 favor keeping barricade. Measure fails. 2-11-2000. Metrics Co. completes speed/count survey on affected streets. 2-11-2000. City letter: public meeting on postcard survey results and press-release sent. 2-27-2000. Public meeting held at Loma Vista Elementary school. 300+ in attendance. 3-21-2000. Temporary 3-way stop sign installed at intersection of Agnus Dr. and Gale Way. 3-22-2000. Half-closure removed by City. THE AGNUS BLOCKADE ENDS. 6-??-2000. Electronic traffic sensing devices take car/speed count survey on affected streets. 8-7-2000. City letter sent confirming stop sign more effective than barricade in slowing speeds. 8-7-2000. Postcard ballot sent for vote on making temporary stop sign permanent. 8-16-2000. Public meeting held. Voting, parking, financing, and property value issues raised. 8-25-2000. Postcard ballot return deadline. Did not get 67% return needed. Measure fails. 8-31-2000. Public meeting 7-9 p.m. at the Loma Vista Elementary School on Lynn Dr. 8-31-2000. At meeting, Agnus resident vowed to get group together to bring back Blockade. 10-16-2000. City Council public hearing and vote making stop sign permanent. Costs paid by City. ??-??-????. Stop sign/3-way neckdown work completed. Thank you for all your efforts. |
This page was last updated on: December 20, 2001
Stop The Agnus Blockade is a citizens' group movement to keep Agnus Drive in Ventura, California open for all to enjoy. Recently the City barricaded one end of Agnus Drive in response to a petition by residents of the street. No one consulted the residents of surrounding neighborhoods. The City removed the barrier, and efforts were on-going to keep Agnus Drive open. The City replaced the half-closure with a temporary three-way stop sign at Agnus Drive and Gale Way. The City Council held a public hearing on October 16, 2000 and voted to make the stop sign permanent. The City generously voted, this one time, to pay for the costs of the improvements. Some Agnus Drive residents wanted the Blockade back. We believed the stop sign was the better choice and the City Council concurred. City staff released information confirming that the stop sign was more effective than the barricade in reducing speeds and in increasing safety. (City letter dated Aug 7, 2000). Since the stop sign is located in the middle of the block, it makes everyone slow down and stop mid-street. This prevents the build-up of excess speeds in both directions, whereas the barrier only prevented outside traffic from entering at the top of the street. The barrier did not prevent drivers from racing up the street to gain momentum to tackle the hill nor did it prevent drivers from gaining speed by coasting downhill. Because the stop sign is located at the designated school crosswalk, it ensures that cars will stop for pedestrians (though there has never been an accident on Agnus Drive involving a pedestrian). Closing Agnus Drive was not the solution. The stop sign currently in place addresses the issue of safety and speeding more adequately than the barrier ever did. We, the Blockade Runners, were more than willing to enter into a dialogue to help City Council members decide what is best for our city. After all, as citizens and neighbors, we are all partners in the future of Ventura. We thank the Mayor, the Members of the City Council, the City Transportation Engineer and his staff for their efforts to forge a solution to the problem on our street. This site is maintained by Agnus Drive residents who opposed the barricade. We are a conduit for all the voices that spoke out from neighboring streets in opposition to the Agnus Blockade. Have something to say? Please sign the guest book below and leave your thoughts for the City Council Members and others to view. You can reach this site by one of two addresses: http://agnusblockade.homestead.com/home.html or www.homestead.com/agnusblockade/home.html CHRONOLOGY: |
Copyright 2002 Stop The Agnus Blockade. |
The following is a chronology of events in the life-cycle of the Agnus Blockade. Pre-1994. Posted speed limit is set at 30 mph. 6-6-1994. Speed set by law at 25 mph. Mid-1997. Traffic Abatement Program adopted by City Council. Four levels of calming measures. 9-7-1998. Agnus petition to install stop sign at Gale Way and to slow speeders received by City. 9-2-1998. E-mail received by City from Agnus Resident reminding them that levels 1 and 2 tried. 11-1-1998. Mitron Company completes electronic speed survey on Agnus. 12-1-1998. Memo: Increase enforcement. Move 25 mph sign and add "Watch Downhill Speed." 2-1-1999. Letter received by City from Agnus resident asking for level 3 and 4 calming measures. 2-16-1999. Form sent to Agnus resident to complete for level 3 and 4 calming measures. 5-20-1999. Form for level 3 and 4 received from Agnus resident. Petition for half-closure received. 6-1-1999. City sent letter to area affected + pre-postcard survey. 8-23-1999. Work Order 99-5-130 sent to construction yard. (Half-closure). 8-26-1999. Southland Corp. completes car/speed "before" counts on Agnus Dr. 8-27-1999. W.O. 99-5-130 completed. THE AGNUS BLOCKADE IS BORN. 10-?-1999. Signal timing revised at Hillmont/Loma Vista. 10-?-1999. Tom Mericle promoted to City Transportation Engineer. Inherits Agnus Blockade mess. 10-27-1999. W.O. 99-5-168 to yard. "No access to Loma Vista" signs on Shamrock and Willowick. 11-4-1999. Southland Corp. completes car/speed "after" counts on Agnus Dr. 11-9-1999. W.O. 99-5-168. Completed. No access signs installed on Shamrock and Willowick. 11-16-1999. Petition against the Agnus Blockade received by City. 12-16-1999. City letter on results of Southland Corp. counts and follow-up postcard ballot survey. 1-25-2000. Postcard survey results. 115 ballots sent, 29 favor keeping barricade. Measure fails. 2-11-2000. Metrics Co. completes speed/count survey on affected streets. 2-11-2000. City letter: public meeting on postcard survey results and press-release sent. 2-27-2000. Public meeting held at Loma Vista Elementary school. 300+ in attendance. 3-21-2000. Temporary 3-way stop sign installed at intersection of Agnus Dr. and Gale Way. 3-22-2000. Half-closure removed by City. THE AGNUS BLOCKADE ENDS. 6-??-2000. Electronic traffic sensing devices take car/speed count survey on affected streets. 8-7-2000. City letter sent confirming stop sign more effective than barricade in slowing speeds. 8-7-2000. Postcard ballot sent for vote on making temporary stop sign permanent. 8-16-2000. Public meeting held. Voting, parking, financing, and property value issues raised. 8-25-2000. Postcard ballot return deadline. Did not get 67% return needed. Measure fails. 8-31-2000. Public meeting 7-9 p.m. at the Loma Vista Elementary School on Lynn Dr. 8-31-2000. At meeting, Agnus resident vowed to get group together to bring back Blockade. 10-16-2000. City Council public hearing and vote making stop sign permanent. Costs paid by City. ??-??-????. Stop sign/3-way neckdown work completed. Thank you for all your efforts. |
