We have no doubt that, from an engineering perspective, there is no need for a guardrail between Baker Street and Hazeltine Avenue in front of Persell Middle School.

The road reconfiguring project last summer should have eliminated the need for a guardrail.

But engineering reports don’t take into account a couple of factors that make reinstalling the guardrail in front of the school useful when things move from pen and paper to real life. First, as much as drivers should have to slow down to turn onto Hazeltine Avenue, we live in Western New York and in a high-poverty area. Do we really think Baker Street will never be slippery enough for someone not to stop, and do we really think everyone has road-worthy tires in the winter months? Obviously the answer to those questions is no.

Second, people drive too fast. It’s just a fact reflected in the number of homeowners throughout the region who complain about people driving too fast near their home. They can’t all just be nervous Nellies. A couple of weeks ago, a driver going too fast at Baker Street and Hazeltine Avenue went over the curb in front of Persell Middle School – it was blind luck that school wasn’t in session at the time.

We can change the physical characteristics of an intersection, but we can’t remove all likelihood that the worst-case scenario won’t happen. In this case, prudence isn’t really that expensive.

There is a third aspect of this continuing discussion that is frustrating. Councilman Jeff Russell, R-At Large and chairman of the council’s Public Safety Committee, and Dr. Kevin Whitaker, Jamestown Public Schools superintendent, both agree that the guardrail should be reinstalled. We’ve been talking about this guardrail – a single guardrail – for two months. If there is agreement by policy makers that the guardrail is needed, then let’s get down to brass tacks, get an estimate and figure out how to pay for it. We need government to move like a sprinter rather than an offensive lineman carrying a piano on his back.

Prudence says this guardrail should be reinstalled. Let’s get it done – quickly.