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Letter to the editor

Residents plead for safety

Neighbors on 19th Place SW say they have a speeding problem, but police don't agree.

By LORRI HELFAND, Times Staff Writer
Published September 7, 2007

Neighbors on 19th Place SW between Gladys and Pine streets asked for speed humps to slow down drivers going too fast. They also want a speed limit lower than the posted 30 mph.
	[Joseph Garnett, Jr. | Times]

ADVERTISEMENT Vice Mayor Harriet Crozier wants something done immediately to solve the problem.

LARGO - The way people who live on 19th Place SW see it, cars and motorcycles whiz down their narrow street. And, they say, the pace only picks up late at night.

So this week, residents pleaded with the Largo City Commission to put speed humps on their road.

Police have said there doesn't appear to be a speed problem there.

But residents say about 30 kids live on the block between Gladys and Pine streets. And it's so bad, some of them have rolled trash bins into the middle of the street to create their own traffic-calming devices.

"We are frightened for our children," 33-year-old Bridget Schaaf told city commissioners Tuesday night. "We want our children to live in Largo and feel safe."

A few minutes later, Todd Rockfield, 36, told commissioners he didn't want a child to die because of someone else's negligence.

"It's a fear we all have living in our neighborhood," Rockfield said as he held his young son. "And we should not have the fear of living in our own neighborhood."

Tammy Houston and other neighbors say they also want Largo to lower the 30 mph speed limit, which they say is too fast for a block with 38 homes.

The women submitted a petition with 33 signatures requesting speed humps on their street. The petition said that residents are willing to foot the bill to provide safety for themselves and their children.

But it's not city policy to install speed humps in residential areas, officials said. That's because some neighbors on a block generally want them and the rest generally don't.

But Mayor Pat Gerard and a couple other city commissioners said it may be time for a new policy. Their concern prompted City Manager Norton "Mac" Craig to schedule a workshop on the topic.

And Vice Mayor Harriet Crozier said she wanted the matter handled immediately.

"I'm wondering if we can do something ASAP, either that or lower the speed limit quickly to 25 mph," Crozier said.

Commissioner Gay Gentry also suggested the possibility of doubling speeding fines in residential areas.

Largo police officers conducted a detail on the street Wednesday evening for about 90 minutes, said Largo police Lt. Brad Seale. They saw 13 vehicles. Just one, clocked at 36 mph, was going over the speed limit. Seale said the department planned to continue to have officers in the neighborhood.

A speed survey conducted by the city in mid June showed speeds ranging from 10 to 40 mph. The average speed recorded was about 18 mph.

But Houston said residents know the problem is real.

"We live there 365 days out of the year," said Houston, 29, who has a 10-year-old son, K.J., and 1-year-old daughter, Makayla.

Carol Lucent agreed. Her kids are grown, but she won't let her dogs, Rascal and Sharla, out much because of the speeding, especially at night.

"It's horrifying at times," said Lucent, 52. "If we have our windows open we wouldn't be able to sleep."

Lorri Helfand can be reached at lorri@sptimes.com or 445-4155.

[Last modified September 6, 2007, 20:18:02]