TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — It can be a nuisance and a real safety problem when a neighborhood becomes a shortcut for drivers trying to avoid busy streets nearby. Now the City of Tucson is offering to foot the bill for ways to slow those drivers down.
“This is a big safety issue. Nobody goes 25 through here.”
Kenneth Bertschy says he needs something to slow down the cars that cut through his neighborhood. He’s President of the Carriage Park Neighborhood Association.
He says drivers who want to bypass the busy intersection at Broadway and Pantano rip past the quiet homes on 5th Street instead.
“We had an accident right here. That fence was taken out by a car.”
Bertshey says the neighborhood got speed humps on Vicksburg Street but that was about 20 years ago. He says back then every homeowner there had to pay fifty dollars.
He’s sure something to calm down the cut-through drivers on 5th would cost much more now but the good news is neighborhoods can apply for City of Tucson mini grants that will cover the cost of various ways to slow down their traffic.
Gabriela Barillas Longoria says Tucson’s Department of Transportation and Mobility says the city has the money because Tucson voters approved Prop 411 to fix neighborhood streets. She says to apply for a traffic calming mini grant, make sure your neighbors are as upset about the traffic as you are.
“So the first step is to, for a neighbor to start talking to their neighbors on the block, and get support for whatever they're proposing if it's speed humps, traffic circles, because for the application, you do need to put down three names. of neighbors that are generally supportive of the idea.”
There’s a City of Tucson webpage with information on how to apply for the mini grants.
Treat Boulevard off Grant shows several ways to slow down traffic like traffic circles, or chicanes.
Ken Bertchey thinks his streets will probably get speed tables—elongated speed humps less likely to damage emergency vehicles.
But he’s glad there’s no cost to the neighborhoods and a smoother way to put bumps in the road.
RELATED: City uses "Zebras" on roads to protect bikers, drivers from hitting each other
——-
Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.
