New push to improve road safety in Hollister

Just a week after a 12-year-old boy was hit and killed by a bus, Hollister city leaders are calling for changes to make roads safer. On Tuesdsay, has more on the small city that may be out growing its small city roads.

“A lot of traffic a lot of activity and we do need to just slow down a little,” resident Mirna Gutierrez.

Gutierrez lives in Hollister with her children and said some of the streets are very dangerous, particularly on Memorial Drive where Joshua Rodriguez, 12, was hit by a bus last Monday.

“People just need to respect a little bit more, because there is a skate park more activity for kids, and before there wasn’t all this,” Gutierrez said.

The skate park is believed to be the area Rodriguez was coming from when he was hit. Two kids were seen making a dash across the busy street Tuesday while riding their skateboards. But since the accident more people are cautious.

“More scared their dad doesn’t let them go out as much as they used to but we try to tell them but kids sometimes listen, but kids will be kids,” Gutierrez said.

Mayor Ignacio Velazquez said he’d like to see all Hollister roads lower their speed limits to 35 miles per hour. Police Chief Dave Westrick said that could help.

“Speed enforcement generally does lower collisions that’s a scientific fact,” Westrick said.

Velazquez said Memorial Dr. is one of the roads the city is thinking about putting an island in between the road and a bike lane. That would mean a new bike lane, where cars now travel at high speeds within feet of bicyclists.

“Design that we’re looking at for Nash Road, Sunnyslope, some of the busier roads in Hollister, that allow for different modes of transportation,” City Manager Bill Avera said.

The city plans to narrow some of the roads in hopes to slow cars down. In other areas like San Juan Road and Fourth St. roundabouts are a possibility. More medians to keep cars from turning across oncoming traffic.

“Do something about it and not wait for something to happen. Its a great idea I hope they just act on it,” Gutierrez said.

The city said those project plans are in the early stages and there is no set time for a start date.