Pretty much from the get-go the Ordinance Committee spent 1+ hours on the issue of speeders.

Melissa LaFond of Laurel St., introduced herself at the Ordinance Committee meeting held on April 10, 2024, to implore the city councilors top do something about the dangerously high speeds some drivers use.

It’s a very busy street. Traffic is speeding excessively. We’ve had multiple accidents. Another car flipped over and landed on their front in front of their house. Last night there was a four wheeler going down our street with two women on it with no helmets flying down the street. They went up on the sidewalk down at Northampton Street and continue on down Northampton Street. Motorcycles are starting at the end of Laurel Street at Northampton and going towards Brown, doing full wheelies the whole way down just to see how fast they can go and how far they can go.

Said another Laurel Street resident, Maggie Krause:

I just feel compelled to say thank you to the folks who have put the petition together. And I have to say that I have not signed the petition, not because I don’t believe wholeheartedly that this should happen, but I might have just missed whoever was collecting signatures. I woke up to the sound of the car flipping over. It was kind of a surreal situation. And I’ve also been struck by how many people are, you know, in-person and online talking about, you know, being parents of children. And I actually I never see a lot of kids in the neighborhood. And now I feel like I know why because they’re all in their backyards.

City Councilor David Bartley responded to the Public Comment:

We all realize that you live on a very busy street. Okay? So, you know, you bought homes on a busy street. So it’s a busy street, and we get it and we want to do something about.

Bartley encouraged the residents by saying that he supports the proposal to install speed bumps, and he asked the residents to contact Mayor Joshua García to assign a budget for that purpose.

City Councilor and Ordinance Chair Israel Rivers said he would continue “pushing the issue with the traffic squad and pushing the issue with the police.”

In most parts of the city, speed limit is 25 mph, and it generally agreed that few drivers follow the rule.

The documents the Ordinance Committee can be reviewed here.