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Residents urge Depew trustees to address speeding on Columbia Avenue; police cite enforcement limits and prior speed study
Summary
At the June 9 meeting residents Joe and Michelle Nervo asked the board to address high speeds on Columbia Avenue near Dorset and Forest View. Police said enforcement is ongoing, offered to meet to evaluate placement of speed equipment, and noted a recent study showed an average speed of 30.1 mph for one direction of traffic.
Two residents asked the Village of Depew Board of Trustees on June 9 to take action after repeated incidents of high speeds on Columbia Avenue that they said put children and families at risk.
Joe and Michelle Nervo, who identified themselves as Columbia Avenue residents, told the trustees speeding frequently exceeds safe limits on their block between Dorset Drive and Forest View. “On my security camera, I’ve gotten three different people that are probably doing at least 65 or 70,” Michelle Nervo said at the podium. She said an 11‑year‑old in the neighborhood, other young children and an autistic neighbor are at particular risk.
Police response and follow up The board and police acknowledged the complaint. The police chief noted Columbia Avenue is among the village’s higher‑complaint streets and said the department enforces where possible given staffing limits. The chief offered to have a lieutenant meet with the residents to discuss placement of speed monitoring equipment; Lieutenant Van Hurren was offered as a contact to evaluate specific locations.
The residents requested more posted 30‑mph speed limit signs; police cautioned that passive measures can be limited in effect. During the meeting, staff referenced a prior speed study in which a radar sign recorded an average speed of 30.1 mph for 44,000 vehicles in one direction; residents said that result understated higher speeds in the opposite flow and that drivers slowed briefly for the sign.
Why it matters Columbia Avenue is a neighborhood route with multiple homes and families; residents said local traffic patterns have changed and that reduced signage and inconsistent enforcement contribute to risky driving. The conversation underscores the tradeoffs villages face between residents’ requests for visible traffic‑calming measures and the limits of one‑time speed displays or available patrol hours.
Next steps Police told the residents they would follow up and offered to coordinate a site visit to examine potential sign locations or enforcement plans. The residents said they prefer more posted signage, while police said they would provide exact enforcement counts if requested and meet with residents to identify the best mitigation approach.
Ending Trustees said they had read the Nervo letter in advance of the meeting and would work with police to pursue feasible steps to address the complaint.
