Two Fayetteville Communities Requesting Speed Bumps

During most of the day, McChoen Drive is a quiet street, but every morning and afternoon, it becomes a speedway. Residents are concerned about their safety and that of their children. They are asking the city council to step in.

For 27 years, Joan Ashton has loved her home on McChoen Drive. She has raised her family there, but now she worries about her children's safety.

"In the morning and in the evening, there is so much traffic going through here and they go pretty fast; that's what we are concerned about," says Ashton.

Residents along Havilah Road have the same concerns. Cars are speeding through at 45 to 50 mph. Speed limit signs haven't had much of an effect, nor has police presence. So, people who live along these streets are asking city leaders to install speed bumps. The idea is supported by the city's transportation committee.

"Several residents have almost been hit and had to slam on their brakes in their own driveways," says resident Jody Rosenberg.

Many motorists are using McChoen drive as a cut-through. It's a way to avoid the busy Rosehill Road and Country Club Drive intersection during rush hour.

A neighborhood near Cape Fear Valley had a similar problem. To slow down motorists, the city installed traffic islands along nearby Fargo Drive. City officials say initial studies show the traffic count is down by 16 percent and motorists are driving an average of 6 mph more slowly. But the people who live here say they don't believe the islands have helped. They hope the bumps will provide a better solution for other neighborhoods with speeders.

"People still go by just as fast as they always have. Once they learn how fast they can go through, they just continue on," says resident Peggy Greenway.

The city council will hear the proposal Monday night. If the council gives its approval to the speed bumps, they will be installed for a three-month test period.