The monthly meeting of the Caspar Community organization will feature a discussion of traffic problems in and around the village of Caspar. The gathering will take place at the Caspar Jewish Community Center at 3:00 PM on Sunday, February 14.

For several weeks an informal committee chaired by Katherine Booth has been to identify areas of concern and specific traffic-related problems in and around the village. Suggestions for possible solutions have also been discussed.

At the Sunday meeting a presentation of the committee's findings will be given by Patty Madigan, one of the members of the Caspar Community's steering committee.

As is customary for the Caspar Community, input from residents and other interested parties will be welcomed. Madigan and Michael Potts, another member of the steering committee, are developing a survey form that can be filled out by attendees at the meeting. Later in the month representatives of the Caspar Community will be meeting with fifth district supervisor Patti Campbell and members of the county department of transportation to voice the community's concerns and present the results of the survey.

Madigan says that one of the main goals of the committee has been to develop "traffic calming" strategies, to maintain and enhance the quiet atmosphere of the village. One of the main areas of concern is the northern entrance to the town where Caspar Road joins Highway One. This has been a traditionally hazardous area due to the speed at which traffic comes off the highway onto the small rural road. "Many residents remember the death of a teenage pedestrian that occurred at the intersection a few years ago," said Madigan, "and there's been a lot of talk about re-thinking the way traffic moves there."

In addition, the topics of stop signs, yellow lines, parking (especially overnight parking), and speed limits will be open to discussion.

For further information call Pat Ackley, the coordinator for the Caspar Community, at 964-4997. The Caspar Community is also reachable by e-mail at caspar@mcn.org, and at their website, www.mcn.org/1/caspar.

written by Jerry Juhl for publication in the Mendocino Beacon