TEMPE, Ariz. — Tempe is pumping the brakes on speeders, especially the ones that have lost control and plowed into nearby homes.
On Sept. 12, the City of Tempe held two community meetings, one virtually and another at Wood Elementary School. Residents in attendance said that on multiple occasions cars going too fast have lost control and crashed into their homes.
"We've had at least two cars going south on Hardy that either were going to make the turn onto Watson. Don't know what put them in our front yard, but they ended up in our front yard, but had they not hit a big tree we have in our front yard, they would've hit my daughter's bedroom," Tempe resident Martha Mingua said.
She's lived in her home since 1978.
Hardy Drive between Baseline and Guadalupe roads has been hit the hardest by the high-speed problem. Residents said that the issue has been decades in the making.
"If I was downstairs when the car hit my house," resident Jeff Broman said. "I probably wouldn't be here today… Because the glass hit every room of my house."
During the meeting, city officials laid out three potential options on plans for Hardy Drive to reduce the speed of drivers:
- Medians
- Removal of center left turn lanes
- Bicycle enhancements
- Pedestrian enhancements and
- Landscaping
They are also asking for the residents to weigh in with preferences, suggestions and comments.
"Our goal is to really work with the residents and slow the streets down and make it safe," said Deputy Transportation Sustainability Director Shelly Seyler. Although that project is still in its early stages, residents say that they're not going anywhere.
To read the full proposal and give suggestions or comments, visit www.tempe.gov/trafficcalming.
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