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Residents urge Morgan City to address speeding, crosswalk visibility near Riverside Park
Summary
At the June 10 Morgan City Council meeting, residents raised safety concerns about speeding along 125 North near Riverside Park and called for more signage, enforcement and traffic-calming measures. Council members and staff noted existing contract patrols and discussed deploying digital speed signs and targeted enforcement.
A resident who identified themself as a recent Riverside Apartments tenant told the Morgan City Council on June 10 that drivers regularly exceed posted limits on 125 North and fail to yield at crosswalks near Riverside Park, putting children at risk.
The resident said drivers frequently exceed 40 miles per hour and sometimes 45, that a posted 20 mph speed sign is commonly ignored and that crosswalk markings on the south side of the bridge are inadequate. "It's dangerous," the resident said, describing children waiting at crosswalks and parents at nearby ball fields.
Council members and city staff acknowledged the concern and discussed several responses. City staff said Morgan contracts with the county sheriff's office to fund one deputy assigned to Morgan and confirmed the city is receiving the paid assignment amount—an eight-hour daily (40-hour weekly) assignment—though council members said they would seek more frequent, visible enforcement in high-risk areas. One councilmember suggested "blitz" enforcement weekends to increase citations and public awareness.
Council members also discussed non-enforcement options. Speakers raised deploying the city's portable digital speed-warning sign to problem blocks, installing additional 20 mph signage or advance warning signs near the bridge, and exploring flashing beacons or other enhancements to draw drivers' attention to crosswalks. Several speakers said the city could rotate the digital sign among locations instead of permanently installing new hardware to reduce cost.
Residents further raised related issues, including electric bicycles and electric dirt-bike style vehicles operating at high speed on sidewalks, vehicles parked on sidewalks and unsafe parking near ball fields that reduce pedestrian space. One resident asked whether the 20 mph marking is a school-zone speed (enforced only during school hours); council and staff discussion indicated some local speed controls are time-limited while others are all-day, and that staff would clarify specific sign rules.
Council members said they would take the comments under advisement and follow up with the sheriff's office and city staff about targeted enforcement, sign placement and low-cost awareness campaigns. No formal ordinance or immediate change to posted speed limits was approved at the meeting.
Votes or formal actions tied directly to the resident's requests were not taken during the public-comment period; council members said staff would investigate possible sign placement and enforcement options and report back to the council.
