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City council fails on Woodward
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Editor, Manteca Bulletin,
I have just finished reading Dennis Wyatt’s article, “Waiting on Atherton”.  I have written in a couple of times regarding the traffic problems on Woodward Avenue as I have lived on this road for 23 years.  Wyatt’s statement that Woodward Avenue is Manteca’s Autobahn is right on the mark.  With the new houses going in along Woodward and all of the through traffic coming off the 120 Bypass, Woodward Avenue is an accident waiting to happen every day. 
I am ashamed of our city council’s failure to address this problem, and its decision to ignore their promise to the Woodward Avenue residents years ago to complete the Atherton thruway.   If they lived on Woodward, they would be on the other side of the fence.  Also, I do not understand how the speed limit on Woodward between Union and Main, has not been lowered to 35 miles an hour.  I noticed the speed limit from Union west has been lowered.  There is also a huge safety issue on Woodward at Pagola.  This should be considered a school zone, with the school only being one block north of Woodward.  Children are crossing Woodward on Pagola without a crosswalk of any kind.  I cannot see how that is not against a city ordinance.  I wouldn’t think that any city council member would want their child crossing Woodward with no light, no stop sign, no crosswalk, and traffic traveling over 45 mph.  That is totally unacceptable. 
As always, when I slow down and put on my blinker to turn into my driveway, irate drivers behind me, going over 50 mph, honk their horns and flip me off for slowing them down; or just fly past me in a no passing zone. 
City of Manteca city council, wake up!  Woodward Avenue is no longer a country road, nor should it be considered an Autobahn.  It is lined with homes from the west end to the east.  It is called “residential”.  You are setting yourselves up for a major lawsuit, I’m sure sooner rather than later.  I said in my last letter that it is only a matter of time, and more accidents, with two more lives taken, have happened on Woodward since then.  How many more injuries or deaths have to occur before you get the message?  Are you listening?

Michele Painter
Manteca