Mono Street — a relatively new street on the southeast edge of urbanized Manteca — is the latest street to be nominated by frustrated residents as a problematic speedway.

While it is a fairly straight shot, at first glance Mono Street would seem to be in the running for a model street when it comes to passive traffic calming design.  There is a roundabout complete with medians that provide a degree of safety for pedestrians where Mono Street meets Inyo Avenue at the northwest edge of Pillsbury Estates Park. There are bike lanes that were placed in a manner to narrow travel lanes.

That apparently hasn’t stopped speeding — at least at certain times of the day.

On Tuesday Councilman Gary Singh asked for staff to add speed limit signs to the street to remind drivers that the de facto speed limit on residential streets is 25 mph.

The request came after Singh was approached by residents frustrated that the impact of the two time radar speed trailers were parked along Mono Street faded after they were moved elsewhere.

“We shouldn’t assume people know the legal speed limit,” Singh said regarding streets such as Mono Street that are feeder or quasi-collector streets.

Public Works Director Mark Houghton noted it is rare that the city posts 25 mph speed limit signs on residential streets but told the council staff would look into doing to.

Back in 2002 similar speeding issues came up on Vasoncellos Avenue after it was opened up connecting Pestana Avenue to East Yosemite Avenue (East Highway 120) in east Manteca. Signs reminding motorists of the 25 mph speed limit were installed along Vasconellos before Pestana.

During a 20-minute period in the 2 o’clock hour Thursday afternoon between the roundabout and Pillsbury Road 11 vehicles were seen traveling Mono Street. Only one — a Federal Express delivery van — appeared to be speeding and that was only marginally so.

Houghton said what might be needed to get people’s attention is some targeted traffic enforcement by Manteca Police.

What Houghton suspects may be happening are at certain times of the day such as when commuters have been driving at freeway speeds before turning off onto city streets and aren’t aware of how fast they are traveling.

Councilwoman Debbie Moorhead has also been approached by residents with issues related to Mono Street. They want a four-way stop created at Mono Street and Pillsbury Road where there is now a two-way stop just for Mono motorists.

Houghton said several residents in various neighborhoods throughout Manteca have requested information about the updated city traffic calming program the council adopted last year. To activate city action, residents are required to circulate petitions among their neighbors.

Houghton noted, however, that the staff  member for the city’s traffic calming program recently quit meaning the city’s response to such petitions may be slowed down a bit.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com