Get rid of the speed humps, residents say

A survey finds many also want three stop signs removed. The City Council will meet tonight.

By JODIE TILLMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published October 16, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - The North River Road neighborhood has spoken: The speed humps should go.

That's according to 72 percent of the 108 households that responded to a city survey about the three traffic control devices put in the neighborhood last year. Surveys were sent to 450 households, putting the response rate at less than 25 percent.

The City Council commissioned a door-hanger survey after residents complained that the speed humps were ineffective and a nuisance.

Two council members who live in the neighborhood, Rob Marlowe and Mayor Dan Tipton, have also been outspoken against the devices.

"They're grossly unpopular, and they haven't gotten any better," said Marlowe, who blames the humps for causing hundreds of dollars in damage to his pick-up truck.

Just over half of respondents also want to remove three stop signs - at North River Road's intersections with Lambert Lane, Veterans Drive and Sunset Road - that were put in around the same time as the speed humps.

But the speed humps seemed to draw the most ire.

Among residents' written comments in the surveys:

"Property values have gone down because of speed humps."

"It's the style of 'humps' that's a problem ... you have to go five miles an hour over them or give everyone in your car a neck injury."

"The speed bumps are embarrassing."

"Why don't you survey residents before you put in speed humps and signs?"

Marlowe, who says installing the speed humps cost roughly $10,000, is hoping the City Council will decide tonight to remove the devices. It's unclear how much that would cost. The transportable speed humps are bolted down.

And where would they go?

"My preference," he said, "would be to as many time zones away as possible."

Jodie Tillman can be reached at jtillman@sptimes.com or 727 869-6247.

[Last modified October 15, 2007, 22:04:47]