Ssshh! City signs on to encourage quiet travel

Those traveling through Clear Lake will hopefully take notice of new signage being installed.

Peter Lagios first introduced the Clear Lake City Council to the “Ride Quietly” campaign two years ago and ran as a candidate for City Council to pursue the issue.  His bid for election failed and the issue faded away until this year, when Lagios again considered a run for a Council seat.

Although he ultimately decided not to seek election, he continued to speak to the Council about a problem he witnessed in his neighborhood and elsewhere— loud vehicles.

Lagios urged the city to take action which would help to bring noisy vehicles into compliance with Iowa and Federal law. “Clear Lake is a very nice community and I want to ensure that it only gets better by asking motorists to install proper mufflers on their vehicles,” he said in an earlier statement to media.  “I believe most Iowans are decent and law abiding, but there are still a few who insist on making loud aggravating noise at the expense of the public good.”

City Administrator Scott Flory said Lagios’ approach to address the issue through signage was a good idea.

“It seemed like a reasonable approach to promote awareness and be responsive to those citizens that have expressed their concerns over the issue,” said.

Lagios worked with the Council to place signs at busy thoroughfares.

The first areas to receive the “Please Ride Quietly” signs are: on the grade going up the hill on South Shore Drive by the Outing Club, in the 12th Avenue South vicinity; at the intersection of 4th Avenue South and South 8th Street; at 27th Avenue South and South Shore Drive; and in the North Shore Drive and Clark Road area.