Coryell County commissioners look at revising speed limits on county roads

By BRITTANY FHOLER
Cove Leader-Press

Coryell County Commissioners scheduled a further look into revising speed limits on several roads within the county, during their regular meeting on Tuesday morning. 
County Judge Roger Miller said that several citizens had submitted requests asking to revisit the set speed limit on their roads. 
“In talking with [Road and Bridge Director] Mr. [Justin] Latham, I believe it’d be a good idea, with what we currently have proposed here, that if the commissioners would take about a month into December, come back with all the proposals and recommendations from your precincts, and then we can set one public hearing to be able to consider all those,” Miller said. 
Latham added that his recommendation would be to not change anything that is currently below 30 miles per hour. 
“I know our list currently has some lower than that, but it’s my understanding you have to have a traffic study if you go below 30 miles per hour.” 
A four-page list of County Roads and their proposed and approved speed limit changes, dated from September 2016,  was attached to the meeting agenda. 
The list included roads 30 miles per hour speed limit, some of which are notably Big Valley Road, Bluestem Drive, Cactus Lane, Hempel Drive, Kubitz Road, Summers Road, Lonesome Oaks Drive, Whispering Oaks Drive, Poplar Drive, Mulberry Drive, Mimosa Drive, Willow Loop, Julia Drive, and Harrell Drive, 
The roads with 20 miles per hour include: Flintrock Drive, Greystone Drive, Pheasant Drive, Sunset Drive, Bluebonnet Drive, Wagon Wheel Lane, Rocky Lane, Arrow Drive, Beaver Lane, Crest Court, Hilltop Court, Hilltop Drive, Topaz, Kenny, Nathan, Murtle, Spring, Whispering Avenue, Rustling Circle, Rustling Avenue, Thomas Street, Gaylon Drive and Coleton Drive. w
The roads with a 35-m.p.h. speed limit include: Barton Lane, Blue Creek Road, Moccasin Bend (from 2412 to Leon River), Perryman Creek Road and Leisure Acres Road, while C.R. 345 has a speed limit of 25 m.p.h. 
The roads with a 45-m.p.h. speed limit includes C.R. 238, C.R. 245, C.R. 274, Lutheran Church Road and Old Georgetown Road, while Cedar Mountain Road, Cedar Ridge Road, C.R. 176, Oak Springs Road, Duncan Road and Star Lane all have a speed limit of 40-m.p.h. 
Latham mentioned the request to change the speed limit on C.R. 334 to 25 m.p.h. and said he wouldn’t recommend less than 30 m.p.h., but he added that he did agree with a recommendation to change the speed limit on parts of C.R. 142.
Commissioners agreed to come back with their constituents’ feedback on proposed roads and speed limit changes to the Commissioners Court meeting scheduled for Dec. 28, to compile a full list and schedule a date for a public hearing. 
The Commissioners also approved a resolution to award votes for candidates to be on the Coryell Central Appraisal District’s Board of Directors. Coryell County has a total of 1,257 votes available to cast, and Commissioners approved casting 834 votes for County Tax Assessor Justin Carothers and dividing the remaining votes of 423 among candidates Bradi Diaz, Jay Manning and Inez Faison (for 141 votes for each candidate). 
During the Commissioners’ Report section of the meeting, Precinct 2 Commissioner Daren Moore announced that he would not seek another term in office. His term expires November 8, 2022. He began his time as a Coryell County Commissioner on January 1, 2007. 
Commissioners also approved an amended contract with Bosque County Jail regarding housing inmates out of county. 
Bosque County is one of several counties that Coryell County partners with to house the overflow of inmates from the Coryell County Jail. 
The amended contract increases the rate from $50 per inmate per day to $65 per inmate per day, at the request of Bosque County. 
The changes in the agreement also identify who is responsible for hosting the Zoom hearings for the inmates. The agreement states that the transportation of Coryell County inmates to and from the Bosque County Jail, including to and from court proceedings and hearings, is the responsibility of Coryell County, as is the transportation of inmates to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division, for confinement or any transportation for any other purpose to and from Bosque County. 
However, Bosque County will assist in Zoom proceedings on a limited basis; and Zoom hearings/court proceedings that include more than one inmate or are anticipated to exceed 30 minutes will require a deputy/jailer from Coryell County to be present and attend the proceedings.