Residents Press Brighton Council for Action on Speeding, Missing Sidewalks on Brighton Lake Road

Dozens of Brighton residents urged the Brighton City Council on Oct. 14 to take immediate steps to reduce speeding on Brighton Lake Road and finish missing sidewalks, saying the combination of high speeds and heavy pedestrian traffic — including children — creates an urgent safety risk.

Residents described repeated speeding and large trucks using Brighton Lake Road as a cut-through. “The highest speed I recorded was 57 miles an hour,” said James Beeman, a Brighton Lake Road resident, adding that officers’ presence temporarily reduces speeds but does not change long-term behavior. “If I see them going over 40, I normally am standing right on the sidewalk so they can see somebody.”

Why it matters: Speakers said the street is flanked by homes with short driveways and frequent pedestrian activity, including children walking to school where bus service is not provided. Several residents tied the safety problem to gaps in sidewalk coverage and to heavy vehicle detours around nearby construction, and asked the council for a near-term strategy rather than waiting until a planned resurfacing in 2027.

What residents told the council: Guy Knight, who identified himself as living on Brighton Lake Road, said intermittent officer patrols help but are not a lasting solution. “When they're there, it helps tremendously. When they're not, it's right back to what we're used to,” he said. Laura Tusian, an ICU nurse, gave medical context for residents’ fears and cited pedestrian injury and fatality risk rising sharply as vehicle speed increases. “My kids don't stand a chance,” she said. Multiple speakers asked the council to return with proposals at the next meeting.

Council response and next steps: Mayor Toby thanked speakers and asked anyone willing to provide contact information to do so with the clerk so staff can follow up. Several speakers asked the council for a report at the next meeting; one resident suggested a return in two weeks. No formal council motion or directive was recorded during the meeting on Oct. 14.

Background and community context: Speakers noted heavier-than-usual truck traffic related to nearby construction, past speed-monitoring deployments and the city’s road millage planning, which residents said should include sidewalk completion where missing. One resident said the sidewalk gap near Brighton Lighthouse is roughly 255 linear feet and urged the council to require sidewalk completion as part of upcoming road projects.

What to watch: Councilmember Bob Gardner asked residents to leave contact details with the clerk; the council did not schedule a specific follow-up action at the Oct. 14 meeting. Residents requested a council update and concrete proposals at the next meeting.