Residents ask London City Council for stop signs, speed bumps on Jacob Lane after repeated speeding

Several Jacob Lane residents asked the London City Council on the record to add traffic-calming measures after reporting frequent speeding and distracted driving in their neighborhood. Zahed Siddiqui, speaking for the Brooks Edge Property Owners Association, told council he had "asked the chief of police to do a traffic study on Jacob Lane," and said the police study found the results "kind of inconclusive" despite continuing neighborhood concerns about drivers ignoring the 25 mph limit.

Michelle Stewart, who said she lives at 315 Jacob Lane and has a 3-year-old and a 6-month-old, described repeated close calls and local crashes and implored the council: "Please please do something before a tragedy happens." She said she routinely sees drivers she estimates at "50 miles an hour" and often on their phones, and reported a neighbor's dog was killed by a speeding vehicle.

Michael Arp, another Jacob Lane resident, and a representative from the Franklin County sheriff's office both told council they have personally stopped or observed cars traveling near 50 mph on Jacob Lane. The sheriff's office representative said, "I've stopped a number of cars because they're getting close to 50 miles an hour," and added that repeat offenders and delivery drivers were frequently observed speeding.

Council members responded by directing the matter to committee. Council member Brent invited residents to the Public Service Committee meeting and said the Public Safety Committee will address the issue; a Public Safety/Public Service meeting was scheduled for May 13 to discuss possible measures including stop signs, speed bumps, other traffic-calming options, and increased enforcement. Council also encouraged residents to attend that committee meeting to present additional observations and support.

The city did not adopt an ordinance or take a formal vote on specific traffic-calming installations during the meeting; council action consisted of scheduling committee review and inviting residents to participate in the committee discussion. Council members suggested considering a multi-pronged approach — signs, speed bumps, or other traffic-calming measures — rather than relying solely on a single stop sign for a roughly three‑tenths‑of‑a‑mile stretch residents identified.

The council asked staff and committees to evaluate enforcement data, engineering options, and potential costs at the May 13 meeting; no funding decision or formal installation plan was made at the council meeting.