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Hannerford residents press county to slow trucks, propose speed bumps and bypass repairs
Summary
Residents urged Griggs County officials to slow through-traffic on Hannerford streets, proposing portable speed bumps at marked crosswalks, additional crosswalk lighting and repairs to a bypass so trucks will avoid town. Deputies increased visible patrols and a commissioner will contact the township about repairs.
Residents at a Griggs County meeting on local road safety described repeated instances of semis and farm machinery speeding through Hannerford, endangering pedestrians and children.
"Is it going to take a kid to get killed before we decide, hey?" a resident asked, summing up the group’s urgency after multiple accounts of vehicles passing at high speed and drivers using side streets to avoid congestion.
Speakers said trucks often pass each other on the narrow town streets and that some drivers do not use the bypass because it is rough and poorly maintained. "I talked to Kelly about it. That road isn't maintained enough," one resident said, and another added that the bypass "will shake your truck to pieces." Participants said fixing the bypass and improving maintenance would encourage truck traffic to use the designated route and reduce dangers within town.
As short-term options, residents proposed two four-way stops near the bar and Shared Harvesting and portable or glue-down speed bumps at marked crosswalks. Several people favored speed bumps over additional stop signs to reduce noise and repeated braking by loaded semis.
Wayne (staff member) and others noted enforcement and signage steps already underway; commissioners said 35 mph truck signs are being installed countywide and deputies have increased visible patrols in recent weeks. Commissioners asked Josh to contact Greenfield Township and invite elevator operators and township officials to the next meeting to coordinate maintenance and possible grant applications for road and safety improvements.
The group also discussed potential sources of funding for crosswalk lighting and highway-safety grants; no formal funding commitment was made at the meeting. Commissioners said the next steps are to meet with township and elevator representatives, explore grant options for flashing crosswalk signs, and consider specific locations for speed bumps to minimize detours onto side streets.
The conversation closed with agreement to continue the discussion at the next meeting and to follow up on the promised township outreach and enforcement adjustments.
