Heavy Traffic,
Increasingly a lot of people have been using our streets for a shortcut. We are a small community that realistically has 50 times the traffic we otherwise would have without the Jacqueline cut through. Especially in the late afternoons.
Speeders,
Most people that drive through do not respect the 25 MPH speed limit and tailgate the people that do respect the speed limits.
Road Hogs,
Drivers that refuse to yield to the right of way of pedestrians or oncoming vehicles. Causing us to walk, run or drive off the road to allow these impatient and inconsiderate people access to the entire road.
Trash, People that do not live here drive through our community dumping their beer cans, ash trays, fast food, garbage bags and any other items that they are too lazy to dispose of properly.
Unwanted visitors,
Burglars, thieves, vandals, bullies, gangs, sexual predators or any other criminals looking for a target.
Possible Solutions:
Security:
Some of you have probably already noticed that we now have community watch signs posted at the Berkshire Downs loop. There is also a security camera located above one sign.
We still need more signs throughout the community mainly at the entrances. However we each need to do our part of watching out for each other. Establish a relationship with your neighbors on both sides of your home.
The Heavy Traffic problem will continue to be a problem as long as the Jacqueline access is opened. There are some ideas on how we may be able to close that access or gate it. However it requires us to unite in some form of home owner association entity to petition the city and to reconstruct and or maintain the area. It will cost us but the price would still be cheaper than repairing our roads that are getting excessive amounts of traffic. More information will be available later for this option.
Slowing vehicles driving through our community:
The posted speed limit is 25 MPH and we are considering to request a posting of a 3 way stop at the Berkshire Downs Drive Loop and the Jacqueline entrance. The Stop signs will be legal meaning that if you run them and an officer sees you. You will be ticketed. This should also change some drivers mind about driving through our community as a short cut because they will have to slow down in order to stop.
Speed bumps
are a great idea but are not an option at this time. They are difficult to get, expensive and they are hard on emergency vehicles on response calls.
Calling in License Plate Numbers to the State Highway Patrol (919) 733-3861.
This is where we all can become involved.
The more calls they get the more frequently they will have to patrol our area.
The Reduction of traffic should decrease the amounts of trash.
If you see someone throwing out their trash try to get their license plate numbers and call it in.
How can we reduce the amount of unwanted visitors?
* Slowing Down traffic and forcing people to stop gives us more time to observe the people that come through our community.
* Calling in and reporting suspicious vehicles and/or people that obviously do not belong here.
* Change the name of our subdivision!?? For a small fee we can legally change the name of our subdivision. Our old address of Berkshire Downs would still be registered at the post office for several years to come.
Why would we want to change the name or just change the name on the sign?
* People confuse our Berkshire Downs with Berkshire Downs West which has a higher crime rate. Some of these people possibly criminals are mistakenly driving through our community looking for their friends or “associates”. Then scoping out our community for potential targets.
* Some of our friends and colleagues may automatically conclude or associate our address with a crime riddled area.
* Maybe if we changed the name the city won't be able to find us to annex us? (Just kidding)
* The connection of the name Berkshire Downs has a lot of significance to this area but unfortunately another subdivision with the same name has changed the well intentions of our subdivision heritage.
* Please think carefully about potential names and we can revisit this idea at a later time.
Working together with other communities
Uniting with other neighboring communities and combining resources. The potential of eliminating crime completely in our community is unrealistic. However there are many things that we can do to decrease the opportunity for the criminals. By uniting our community with the other 2 communities that we are connected to Jackquelin and Smoke Tree we can all work together to strengthen our communication and awareness and enhance our ability to be proactive in the prevention of criminal activity in our neighborhoods. Developing a network of residents to drive around the areas at various times of the evenings. Hold regular meeting to learn how to improve home security cheaply and easily.
Get involved
* How important is it to you to protect the community you live in?
* Do you want crime in your neighborhood?
* Do you want to be able to walk in the street without being almost run over?
* Are your children's and your neighbors families safe?
* Is your quality of life and the residential environment important to you?
If you answered at least one of these question “yes”. Then you should be involved on one level or another. A committee can not protect a neighborhood. It takes a community. It takes so little of your time but the benefits are priceless.
If you would like to participate, contribute or get involved please contact us
Donations are always acceptable assistance. We can use these funds to purchase more signs and equipment to make us all safer and more aware.
Thanks for reading this and we look forward to hearing from you soon,
Sincerely, Mat Trickel
Berkshire Downs Assistant Committee Chairman and Webmaster
Berkshire Downs Resource HomePage
