Camp Lejeune: ICE Comment Regarding Bicyclist and Pedestrian Safety Aboard Camp Lejeune
I sent the below as an ICE comment to Camp Lejeune’s Traffic Safety folks this morning.
This comment card is in response to safety concerns of bicyclists and pedestrians aboard Camp Lejeune.
Cross-walks located on Brewster Blvd near the Holcomb Blvd intersection and cross-walks crossing the Tarawa Terrace entrances are often blocked by vehicle traffic during morning and evening hours. This makes crossing safely difficult, if not impossible. The vehicles obstruct bicyclist and pedestrian traffic, and often make it hard to see oncoming traffic in other lanes.
I recommend and request that signs be placed near each cross-walk advising drivers not to block them and that drivers be especially watchful for bicyclists and pedestrian traffic.
The Welcome Home signs attached to the fencing recently installed along the paved multi-use trail between the Main Gate and the Northeast Creek Bridge have recently become a safety issue.
The signs are often made of thin plastic or bed sheets which are not securely attached to the chain-link fencing. The result is that strong winds rip the plastic or fabric and either force the signs off the fence, and onto the trail, or allow an edge of the sign to flap into the path of bicycle and pedestrian traffic.
I have witnessed two near-accidents as bicyclists pass flapping signs and have nearly been victim to one myself.
I recommend and request that Military Police make daily checks and remove the signs which may potentially lead to an accident or endanger bicyclists and pedestrians.
The installation of chain-link fencing along the paved multi-use trail between Camp Knox Road and the Main Gate has the potential for making the trail unsafe for bicyclists and pedestrians.
The fencing has created a limited area of escape should a bicyclist or pedestrian be attacked along the trail. Potential victims would only be able to escape through the thick underbrush between Highway 24/Lejeune Blvd and the paved trail. The underbrush would restrict the movement and speed of an escape and would require that a bicycle be abandoned.
I recommend and request that Military Police increase the frequency of bicycle patrols along the trail. I also recommend that Military Police explore safety and basic self-defense courses for Marines, Sailors and their dependents and that these courses be coordinated with the City of Jacksonville Police Department to allow for civilian participation.
December 1st, 2008 at 8:49 pm
[...] received a response to the ICE comment I submitted last week. Mr. Brock, Thanks for your comments. Our Traffic Safety personnel will be investigating your [...]
April 26th, 2009 at 10:17 am
[...] Commission of the crash caused by a sign and my efforts to get Camp Lejeune’s Safety officials to do something and their response. Mr. Chesnutt has spoken with safety officials from the base and they have [...]