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Residents urge council to install speed bumps and other traffic-calming after crashes on School Street and Terrace
Summary
Multiple residents told the council that motorists frequently speed through School Street, Terrace and other local cut-throughs, reported a hit-and-run that hospitalized a neighbor and urged temporary and permanent traffic-calming measures including speed bumps and targeted studies.
Residents from multiple blocks pressed Green Tree Borough Council on Jan. 6 to address speeding, cut-through traffic and truck traffic on School Street, Terrace and surrounding streets, saying recent crashes have injured residents and creating an unsafe environment for children.
Frank Pickers, who gave his address during the hearing of citizens, told council “everyone flies on down the street. Kids are gonna get killed,” and asked the borough to consider speed bumps, including temporary devices to test effectiveness. Chris Lee said someone on that street had been hospitalized after a hit-and-run and that he did not believe the driver had been caught. Dawn Dingers, a homeowner on the corner of Terrace and School Street, recounted nearly being struck and losing tenants because of safety concerns; she said drivers run stop signs and use the street as a shortcut when traffic backs up at nearby intersections.
Council members and staff responded that speed studies and traffic-engineering evaluations are the typical first step. One council member said temporary speed-control devices previously used by the borough have been stored and could be redeployed after winter, while a separate council speaker said traffic calming options other than speed bumps can be considered, including road-narrowing, flashing speed signs and re-evaluating signage; the council said police leadership would be consulted. The mayor and council said they would ask the lieutenant in the police department to review the locations and that staff would place a speed study device to measure average speeds where residents requested it.
Several residents also noted high truck volumes on otherwise restricted streets and drivers cutting through to avoid congestion at the BP intersection; council and staff said they would raise those observations with police and engineering staff.
Residents were invited to provide the council with the printed lists of problem locations that one speaker said he had brought. Council members said they would follow up with the police department and the infrastructure committee and explore both temporary and permanent traffic-calming measures.
Ending: Council described next steps as initiating speed studies at the requested locations, consulting police leadership and, if warranted, testing temporary devices before considering permanent installations.
