HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-25-2020 Public Comment - M. Ratliff - Speeding in residential area, pedestrian safetyFrom: michellepwr1@juno.com
To: Agenda
Subject: speeding in residential area, pedestrian safety
Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2020 5:29:19 PM
Hello, I would like help with the very dangerous drivers that are cutting through my
neighborhood. I have lived here for 21 years and watched as the speeding and unwillingness to
stop for pedestrians has gotten worse and worse. The speeding has grown so excessive and
consistent that I am now worried for my and my neighbors safety. Over the years I and
others from my street, including my disabled daughter, have called the Bozeman Police
department to ask for better patrolling to control speeding.
Today, I, as a pedestrian, was almost hit in the middle of the street by a late 80's two tone
green/teal & silver Chevy pick up speeding down my street who veered around
me without slowing at all. I was in the middle of the street having just gotten out of my car
and was crossing and the man passed so fast that I was covered in slush. This is not an
isolated incident. My husband, who was shoveling, had the same thing happen late last week
by another driver.
I live at the corner of 24th/25th Ave and Beall Streets. On my street there is a Head Start
building at an "s" curve that narrows to a single lane when parents are picking up or dropping
off their children. Around the corner from my house is a park with a 15 mile an hour speed
limit that is rarely observed. At Beall and to the immediate east of me are two condo
neighborhoods with many retirees who walk the area regularly. At Beall and 25th these is a
blind "s" curve that so one slows down for and an intersection just to the south of that where
no one slows to opposing traffic. Including my house and the first 6 houses near me, there are
young children, multiple elderly and a few disabled residents.
I have been yelled at by drivers, had close calls, watched the ducks and cats in our
neighborhood get hit. Multiple, many multiple, people in my neighborhood have put up signs
asking people to slow down. There are a couple of regular young men who seem to think it is
a challenge and speed up when they are passing these signs, including the one who almost hit
me today, who do not live on this street or the ones near my house. Another is a black Audi
with a roof rack on top. Two streets over from me, last summer, I counted at least a dozen
signs go up on Western, there are at least a 8-10 on 25th and until someone stole half of them
around 4-8 on 24th. Further, I believe the income the city could generate in speeding tickets
by patrolling our area and the park around the corner would be extremely substantial-- because
there are that many drivers speeding through our streets.
I would like to ask what the city can do to help us residents have a safe residential street.
What can be done for our residents to be able to safely cross the street? get to our cars? be able
to shovel our driveways? be present in our neighborhoods, etc. Right now I am very worried
that someone is going to get killed because we have drivers cutting through our neighborhoods
that seem to think that there are no repercussions for speeding and that they have the right of
way.
I read the newspaper article that said our residential areas and traffic issues could not be a
priority because of other police issues and it made me very frustrated and angry. Can we
please be proactive? Or will our safety only be a priority when a 3 year old getting in the car
after school with their parent is hit? Or my 82 year old neighbor is hit walking over to talk to
me? Or my grandson?
How do I request a stop sign? More speed limit signs? A school zone near Head Start?
Speed bumps? More patrols? Our citizen signs are not working.
As a law abiding, tax paying citizen I would like the city to help us with these careless, law
breakers that are putting us in danger. What can we do get this dangerous situation under
control?
I look forward to hearing from you and finding a workable solution.
Thank you.
A very worried resident,
Michelle Ratliff, 406-570-6455
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