Several residents addressed City Council on Oct. 27 to press for immediate safety measures at the intersection of Shaker Boulevard, Belvoir Boulevard, Inverness Road and Ashley Road. Speakers described persistent speeding, poor sight lines and multiple traffic approaches that make the crossing hazardous for children walking to school and other pedestrians.

Kristen Romito, a resident of 2706 Belvoir Boulevard, told council the intersection creates ongoing safety risks for children and commuters and urged the city to install a HAWK pedestrian signal or other traffic‑calming measures now rather than delaying action until a proposed recreation-center project moves forward years from now. "The city has already acknowledged that this intersection would benefit from a Hawk signal system," Romito said, adding the speed‑detection signs installed previously have not stopped unsafe driver behavior.

Other residents repeated the request for near‑term interventions. Rita Carpania, a neighborhood grandmother, urged council not to "put it in the circular file" and suggested placing flashing pedestrian-warning signs and digital speed displays that prompt drivers to slow down. A third resident said a child had been struck “a couple of years ago” at the intersection and described the difficulty pedestrians face when crossing because drivers approach from multiple angles.

Council and administration response

Mayor and council members acknowledged the comments and said traffic concerns have increased in resident correspondence over the past year. Council asked staff to confirm the status of earlier planning work: staff said a study had been discussed and that a broader traffic‑safety study (and subsequent grant opportunities for implementation) is expected to proceed in 2026; implementation would follow in later years. Council members and staff indicated short‑term measures such as additional radar/speed display signs or targeted sight-line trimming are more feasible in the near term while longer changes await study and potential grant funding.

Next steps

Staff said they would take the resident input under advisement and that the city has been reviewing multiple intersections raised by residents. Council members requested staff evaluate the advisability and timeline for a pedestrian signal at the intersection and to explore immediate, lower‑cost measures (for example, signage, speed displays and targeted vegetation management) while the larger traffic‑safety planning process moves forward.