Removing the gate will improve emergency response times to residences in the area, as responders will not have to get out of vehicles to unlock and open the gate or drive out of direction to bypass the gate. In addition, Ridge Road will provide a timely, second access to the neighborhood in the event Blackhawk Drive is inaccessible.
Removal of the gate will also improve local access to McDaniel Road for adjacent residential neighborhoods. Ridge Road was required and planned to provide local connectivity to McDaniel Road for the adjacent residential neighborhoods. Given traffic and the number of homes near the intersection of Ridge and McDaniel roads, drivers from about 60 homes could use Ridge Road to access McDaniel Road.
With the gate in place, some travelers must drive up to three-fourths of a mile out of direction to use Blackhawk Drive. The lack of connectivity caused by the fire gate leads to additional traffic through neighborhoods along 112th Place and Blackhawk Drive.