The 'Chaussee' speedway

SANDUSKY — Inside Cedar Point, the fastest rides can reach, and even exceed, 100 mph. And, just outside the amusement park's boundaries, some commuters do actually approach those speeds, treating a private roadway as their own personal drag strip. This past month, coinciding with Cedar Point's seasonal opening on Friday, amusement park executives hired a local contractor to smooth out the Cedar Point Chaussee, a 4-mile mostly straight-shot stretch boasting many waterfront homes. Paving work continues on the street, also known as Cedar Point Road. While appreciated, the gesture does concern some area residents. "It's going to get dangerous," Willow Drive resident Al Peugeot said. "If we don't slow people down, this is not hyperbole, it's going to be a life-and-death situation." Peugeot emphasized how, for years, drivers — prior to road work, when potholes and many bumps lined Cedar Point Road — zipped down the street way beyond its posted speed limit of 35 mph throughout. Now, with a freshly paved roadway, Peugeot said it's an open invitation for trouble. "We have a real situation on our hands," he said. "People were speeding and driving above the speed limit on a horrible road. Now they're likely to go even faster." The situation compounds, considering, as told by Peugeot: • "No other road in Sandusky is 4 miles of straight road with no stop signs or stoplights." • "There are four bends on the road, enough to where you can't see. It blocks your line of sight, and if you go too fast, you can hit someone or something." • "There are no sidewalks, and many people do walk or come back from the beach (on the street). If someone comes around a curb fast, they might not be able to stop in time. It could be a really bad situation." Peugeot actually labels his fellow neighbors as the biggest offenders. "The No. 1 group of speeders out here are the residents, our own people," Peugeot said. "Second is the Cedar Point workers, especially in the morning and after work. Then it's all the service people — like garbage collectors and electricians — and then it's visitors. They drive the slowest because they like the scenic drive." What can be done? The Register reached out to both Cedar Point spokesman Tony Clark and Sandusky police Chief Jared Oliver about the situation. Clark, Cedar Point Q: Why did this work happen? TC: Cedar Point owns Cedar Point Road, the chaussee, and is responsible for its maintenance. In recent years, high water levels have created many challenges for coastal areas, including Cedar Point Road. We've taken initial steps to protect the integrity of the roadway from those rising waters. Once those steps were complete, we started the process of paving the road. We do not have completely accurate data on when it was last resurfaced. It's been a long time. Cedar Point does not release the costs of its improvement projects, but because we own the road, the resurfacing project is funded by Cedar Fair. Q: What is Cedar Point's stance on the speeding issue? TC: The chaussee was the original automotive route to Cedar Point. To this day, it still provides access to the park and, from a safety standpoint, functions as a secondary route to and from the property. We still prefer guests travel to the park via the causeway, as it is set up for higher traffic volume, but a small percentage of our guests still use the chaussee for park access. Residents and guests alike should enjoy the view and obey the law, no matter where they travel. Oliver, Sandusky police Q: What is Sandusky police going to do about this situation? JO: SPD is aware that the road is/has been resurfaced. We have already begun more proactive patrols in the area to deter traffic violations. We will work in conjunction with the Cedar Point Police Department to be as visible as possible in the area. Officers will patrol the area, including stationary patrols, as part of their normal duties. Q: Will officers take action against speeders? JO: Speeding citations will be issued if the officer deems it necessary. Peugeot offered up some of his own ideas for drivers, which include: • Installing speed bumps or placing speed tables, which slow drivers down • Putting in rumble strips • Placing speed cameras in certain areas; Before doing this, homeowners must work out some legal issues with Sandusky's government. "You can really go fast on a beautifully paved 35 mph road," Peugeot said.