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East side neighborhoods hope to put an end to street racing

Councilwoman for Ward 4 Nikki Lee organized a community meeting to hear from concerned Tucsonans
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TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Local leaders on the east side gathered for a meeting to find ways to make the streets safer.

People who live in the area said they hear and see dangerous street racing up and down Houghton Road every weekend.

They fear it is only a matter of time before something bad happens.

“It’s a safety concern, it’s annoying to listen to, and someone is going to get hurt," Michele Moorehead said.

Moorehead isn’t the only east-sider Ward 4 Councilwoman Nikki Lee has heard from.

“We’re hearing about gunshots, we’re seeing accidents, we’re really seeing an escalation of behaviors we don’t want to see anymore," Councilwoman Lee said.

Now she’s trying to find solutions.

Inviting the community to share their concerns with Police Chief Chad Kasmar and east side Captain Jimmy Whitfield

Who say they’re already taking action.

“We’re developing a task force to look at some of these issues," Whitfield said.

TPD has made over 200 arrests relating to street racing since 2022 according to a pamphlet handed out at the meeting.

The arrests so far haven't eliminated the racing entirely.

“We’re going out on the weekends and we‘re really making sure and looking around to see if someone is going to start doing it right there and get in an accident.”

TPD says if you see illegal street racing to call 911 and report it.

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