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IMPD writes nearly a dozen tickets for running stop signs at "dangerous" southwest side intersection

Homeowners fed up with speeders, crashes
Posted at 1:18 PM, Jun 04, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-04 18:08:56-04

INDIANAPOLIS--  Indianapolis Metro Police stepped up traffic enforcement following an RTV6 story on southwest side homeowners fed up with speeders and cashes.

On Friday, IMPD wrote eleven tickets near South Lynhurst Drive and Mooresville Road for running stop signs.

“Traffic enforcement will continue with the goal of changing behavior,” said Sgt. Shane Foley, IMPD spokesperson.

As RTV6 reported last week,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 says she was thrilled to see IMPD officers out writing tickets.

“I feel like it is a win,” said Micks. “They were getting them left and right. They did a great job.”

Micks and others hope the enforcement will have a lasting impact on what many call a “dangerous” intersection

Mooresville Road and South Lynhurst Drive is 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 Indianapolis Department of Public Works 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 Warren 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.

The DPW says they have drafted a report recommending a speed limit reduction near the Mooresville and Lynhurst intersection.

If you’re looking to address speeding in your neighborhood, here are a few things you can do: