A plea for speed restraint in Wiltondale
Fern Dickman, who lives in the 600 block of Stevenson Lane in Wiltondale, has had it up to here with the speeding in her neighborhood. Here's her story:
I'm writing to you to appeal for some kind of assistance from Baltimore County to stop the speeding traffic on Stevenson Lane. The posted speed limit is 25 MPH. Drivers fly up and down Stevenson Lane from York Road to where they have to slow down at the curve where the Country Club of Maryland is and vice versa.
The county built two small islands, one at Kimway which goes to the back side of Stoneleigh Elementary and one further down towards the golf course. In theory, cars have to slow down to make it through where the road narrows there, but current evidence of the one at Kimway proves that doesn't happen - clearly a vehicle just drove over the island and took out the tree that was planted there and left huge tire tracks.
I walk my dogs. Because I live on the south side of Stevenson Lane, I have to cross the street to walk them because there isn't any sidewalk for most of the south side of the street. I absolutely cannot safely cross the street. I was walking them Friday afternoon. I waited until no cars were coming from either side and started to cross. The next thing I knew a car was speeding up from the golf course, saw us crossing and failed to slow down. I put up my hand almost like a crossing guard and yelled "slow down". All he did was fly around us onto the opposite side of the street.
There is a crosswalk at Kimway and Stevenson. Cars won't even stop there even if I and the dogs are standing in the middle waiting for traffic to slow down or stop. They have put speed humps throughout Rodgers Forge. It is clear to me that the cops absolutely don't care about the speeders on Stevenson Lane. I've tried calling my county councilman to no avail. Please help!!!
Sounds to me like a good argument for a speed camera.
Comments
In this case there actually is a school right near the tree that got ran over.
In addition to the speed camera perhaps some other road design features. Maybe the county install some speed humps and some large concrete planters on those islands. Perhaps drivers would think twice about running those over.
Posted by: Cullen | January 25, 2010 10:44 AM
Hopefully your neighborhood association is working with the county to get help with this like people in Rodgers Forge have. Those islands were also installed in RF and within a year, speed humps were installed (in some places replacing the islands that were put in). There is a process in place to get this done and they will have to study speeding patterns, but it can be done and as someone who drives that road, I am SURE that it would qualify for speed humps!
Posted by: Jeff | January 25, 2010 11:02 AM
Wow, this sounds EXACTLY like my story as well although I live on Bonita Ave in Balto County which I am told doesn't qualify for speed humps. I have written to my county councilman, to the police department, and to the County Executive and while I did receive responses from all of the above, the answer was basically there's nothing that can be done. Good luck to you, I feel your pain.
Posted by: Christine Stamp | January 25, 2010 11:46 AM
Ditto for Lakeside Blv. from Dolfield to Owings Mills. Not even a fatality has moved the county to action. I was hoping for speed cameras since New Town High School is right there but we didn't make the list. When (or should I say if) Kibler ever finishes the bridge on Dolfield over Red Run that stretch of highway will make the Indy 500 look like a go cart race. A couple of well placed (or better portable) speed cameras on these two roads and Baltimore County could cut the tax rate in half.
Posted by: Mark | January 26, 2010 3:10 PM