Traffic talk: Star City police report on increased accidents, motorists
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STAR CITY - Monongalia County public schools and West Virginia University opened their classrooms Tuesday and the extra traffic was noticed in and around Star City.
"You can tell the students are back," Police Chief Glen Staley told town council at Tuesday's regular meeting. "We've had 10 accidents [to investigate] in the last week. Before that, we went a month and a half with none."
Staley said he has his officers watching for speeders and motorists running stop signs in the town.
Councilor Jennifer Hunt asked Staley about also watching for stopped traffic blocking intersections. Vehicles often back up along University and Boyers avenues as drivers head towards Monongahela Boulevard during afternoon rush-hour.
Staley explained that motorists are required to stop before or after an intersection as traffic backs up.
"I watch that heavily and I watch how the traffic flows," Staley said, explaining that sometimes a motorist can't help but stop in an intersection when the traffic in front of him/her stops too quickly.
Staley said he expects traffic to pick up even more once two stoplights are operational on Chaplin Road. The West Virginia Department of Transportation is installing stoplights at both intersections of Chaplin Road and Interstate 79. Traffic backs up on both exit ramps as drivers wait to turn left onto Chaplin from the interstate.
Staley said once those traffic lights are working, it will take a while for drivers to adjust and for the lights to be synced and he expects traffic to back up on Chaplin, causing problems all the way into Star City.
During his supervisor report to council, Staley asked for permission to purchase four shotguns. He said a rifle is now in each police vehicle but he'd also like his officers to have shotguns for when they are necessary. He explained that rifles are used for shooting targets farther away while shotguns are better used as crime deterrents as well as for closer targets.
"Nothing is better for deterring someone from causing trouble than the racking of a 12-gauge," Staley said. "That can settle down a lot of issues. Racking a shotgun gets attention."
The chief said he checked gun shops and found the best deal at Gun Runners in Fairmont. He said by trading in some weapons, the town could buy four shotguns and sights for $2,920. At full price, the shotguns would be $580 each and the sights $330 each. The trade-ins would bring that $3,640 to $2,920. Staley said that money would come from his department's forfeiture account.
Questioned about that cost by Councilor Andy Laskody, Staley said they are Vortex Vipers and meet military specifications.
"They are Army standard so they will last," Staley said.
Mayor Sharon Doyle said since the request did not make Tuesday's agenda, council could not take action. It will be on the next agenda - Sept. 1 - for council to consider.
Other council news
Doyle said a group of WVU engineering students joined Public Works Director Phillip Davis' crew in sprucing up Tugboat Depot, the children's play area near the trail and river.
"We had a great day down there," Davis said. "They worked faster than we thought they would. We love that kind of community help."
The workers spread new mulch, did some weeding and water-proofed wooden benches.
Davis said he also learned about grants the town may be eligible for through WVU and he plans to look into them.
Finally, council unanimously voted to permanently set the day for trick-or-treating as Halloween. This year, that will be a Saturday. Doyle said this will make things easier than having to vote every year, allowing residents to know the date will not change. Laskody asked about issues the town may face if its date is not the same as Morgantown's. Doyle said she was pretty sure Morgantown previously voted to always hold trick-or-treating on Halloween, but made Star City's vote contingent on that being the case.