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Eastlake residents call for speed humps after two deaths; council and DOT pledge follow-up
Summary
Residents from Northeast Lake urged the council to install speed humps and four‑way stops at Third Avenue North and 80 Fifth Street after two deaths at that corner; the city said petitions and traffic‑engineering steps are required and pledged to work with neighborhood leaders to expedite the process.
Neighbors of Eastlake told the Birmingham City Council they have suffered two recent deaths at the corner of Third Avenue North and 80 Fifth Street and asked the council to authorize immediate traffic calming measures including speed humps and a four‑way stop.
Resident John Jackson said the corner is effectively a "speedway" and that his neighborhood had bought speed humps to press for installation: "We don't want another death occurring on our street." Another resident, Greg, who said he is disabled, told council members he is afraid to cross the street and asked how many more people must die before action is taken.
Council and city staff described the traffic‑calming process: requests require a traffic study and engineering design by a licensed traffic engineer, neighborhood petitions are part of the protocol and the city has begun contracting external installers to reduce delays. City staff said additional funding has been allocated and that the Department of Transportation would work with residents to gather signatures and move the location forward in the installation queue.
Ending: Council members urged residents to attend neighborhood association meetings and said they would continue to monitor the location and help expedite steps where possible.
