INDIANAPOLIS-- Drivers’ need for speed has homeowners on the southwest side fed up and demanding change.
People who live along South Lynhurst Drive say they want speed bumps, stop signs, a speed limit decrease—anything to slow people down.
“Cars are just flying down the streets, and our kids can’t even play outside,” said Vicki Micks, a homeowner on South Lynhurst Drive in Decatur Township. “They speed, they run stop signs.”
Micks has documented the speeders with her cell phone and joined with neighbors to petition the city for speed bumps.
“We did everything they asked and they deny us everything,” said Micks. “I feel like I’m getting nowhere.”
RTV6 checked with the city’s Department of Public Works about speed bumps in Vicki Micks’ neighborhood.
“Speed bumps may always seem like the immediate answer to slowing cars, but it can’t prevent the actions of a driver,” said Warren Stokes, public information officer for DPW. “DPW builds infrastructure but does not enforce safe driving. Most areas where speed control barriers are installed are the streets that should not have a high and frequent amount of traffic using it as a cut through.”
Close to Micks’ house is Mooresville Road and South Lynhurst Drive, a five-way intersection that can be confusing for drivers.
“It’s a really, really bad intersection and it always has been,” said Micks. “There’s a crash nearly every month.”
Micks and other neighbors contacted city-county councilor Jared Evans, who nearly missed crashing at the same spot.
“I think it’s really dangerous,” said Evans. “In the neighborhood meeting, they were complaining about this intersection and leaving the meeting I was almost a victim of what they had been complaining about. I couldn’t see the traffic coming from the west, and if the other driver hadn’t been turning, we would have had a collision."
Evans is pushing for the city to create a five-way stop, rather than allowing the traffic on Mooresville Road to drive through the intersection.
“We need to look at stopping traffic every which way so everybody takes their time and can see what’s coming toward them,” said Evans.
The city DPW analyzed crash data in the area and found the majority of crashes in the area were due to unsafe driving like speeding, improper passing, disregarding a stop sign, and following too closely.
“These are not the type of accidents that could have been prevented by DPW’s infrastructure, so we were unable to recommend the introduction of an all-way stop at the intersection,” said Stokes with DPW.
The city also looked at making a roundabout at Mooresville Road and South Lynhurst Drive.
“This intersection has a low volume of traffic and crashes, which makes it extremely difficult to apply for federal funding for a roundabout project at this specific intersection,” said Stokes.
Pastor Gary Lynch of Drexel Gardens Christian Church works and lives off of South Lynhurst and says his greatest fear is what happened more than a decade ago.
“A little boy got killed on his bike, and when he got hit we knew he wasn’t going to make it,” said Pastor Lynch.
Lynch has contacted Indianapolis Metro Police to ask them to help slow down drivers.
“They care and they send people out here but the presence is only here for a little bit and then they're gone,” said Pastor Lynch. “Then people go back to doing what people do and not pay attention. People just really need to slow down."
The city Department of Public Works says they have drafted a report recommending a speed limit reduction near the Mooresville and Lynhurst intersection.
“We will have to bring the recommendation before the City-County Council for approval,” said Stokes.
Vicki Micks and councilor Evans aren’t giving up.
“We’re going to fight for it, and we’re going to keep moving forward,” said Evans.
If you’re looking to address speeding in your neighborhood, here’s a few things you can do:
- Contact your mayor’s office advocate
- Reach out to your city-county councilor
- Contact the Mayor’s Action Center
- Call IMPD’s non-emergency number at (317) 327-3811
- File a traffic complaint here
- Contact your police district office
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