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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Mt. Ashland hopes to build on good year ... Wolf pack grows as OR-7 slows down ... Sounds of Crater Lake ... Mt. Ashland hopes to build on good year ... Wolf pack grows as OR-7 slows down ... Sounds of Crater Lake ... LETTER AT LENGTH Letter at Length, Aug. 1 Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News Guardrail still unsafe The Daily Tidings article of Tuesday, July 26, and editorial of Wednesday, July 27, brought up two important issues: safety and appropriate use of public property. The 350-foot-long guardrail is noted to have been installed over a year ago by a private party without an encroachment permit as required by Ashland Municipal Code and, according to the 2014 Ashland Planning Division report, is located 30-40 feet onto city (public) property. The city proposes to spend about a quarter of a million taxpayer dollars to widen the road, leaving the guardrail in place. The article presented the viewpoint of the city staff and of people who currently do not live in the neighborhood served by Grandview Drive — property owners and their general contractor. The article minimally mentioned the concerns of neighborhood residents who frequently use narrow Grandview Drive along the guardrail to walk to and from Hald-Strawberry Park via the Ditch Road. I believe that the guardrail presents a significant hazard to pedestrians who are at risk of being crushed between the guardrail and an out-of-control motor vehicle. I think two statements in the editorial and reported in the article need to be carefully examined: First, “two cars had plunged off the road and onto the property.” When, where and what are the details of these two supposed incidents? Is there any documentation to support these rumors? In previous testimony one of these incidents was said to have occurred near or on an adjacent property which does include the steep hillside. Second, “engineers say it [the guardrail] was installed correctly.” Since there is no permit, no plan and no inspection during installation how is this statement justified? The geotechnical (soil stability) report for this steep hillside public property was not completed on June 24, yet the traffic engineer report was dated June 14 — 10 days earlier. If the purpose of the guardrail is to protect a private home or to enhance motor vehicle safety, I think that there are a number of other ways to accomplish this that would reduce the significant hazard of the guardrail to pedestrians using Grandview Drive. I ask that before making any decisions on the future of Grandview Drive, the Ashland CIty Council, as well as interested citizens, have all the relevant information, in the interest of enhancing safety for all — motor vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians. Paul Rostykus Ashland DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501