Speeding concerns in local neighborhood

Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Abigail Hantke | WEAU

ALTOONA, Wis. (WEAU)- People living in one local neighborhood are still concerned about people speeding down a high-traffic roadway. A few years ago, the speed limit was changed from 35 to 30 on Lake Road in Altoona, a high traffic road during the summer. But police continue to field complaints as homeowners in the area say many people are driving too fast.

"It should've stayed at 35 because everybody drives at least 35 to 40 miles an hour when they go through here, and its 30, they should have just left it where it was," said Harold Kuhnert.

Kuhnert has lived on Lake Road in Altoona for 33 years. For the past few years, he's had a problem with people speeding past his home, driving him to create a sign for his front yard that reads "Lake Road Speedway."

"There are times in the morning you don't want to walk down that road because they come flying," Kuhnert said. "We got deer, rabbits, and all these animals out here. A lot of them see this and that reminds them to look at their speedometer; I put it right by the mailbox."

In 2012, 29 people who live on Lake Road petitioned the city to drop the speed limit from 35 down to 30, hoping to slow drivers down.

While the speed limit was changed to 30 a few years ago, the police say they're still catching people going at nearly 50 miles per hour down the road.

"We get complaints from residents out there of people driving 50 plus miles per hour out there and I know we have some citations that are in that area," said Sergeant Mark Duce with the Altoona Police Department.

The department says it's trying to keep a strong presence on this road, which sees higher traffic in the summer, as it's a main road to the lake, as well as a convenient route from the interstate to Highway SS.

"They're used to driving in that area and just not paying attention," Duce said. "Seeing those signs and then all of a sudden they're getting stopped by one of our officers, it's a pretty hefty citation."

Police say fortunately there have been no crashes on lake road this year, but they are continuously issuing tickets and warnings to drivers to slow down.

Thursday night, the Altoona City Council is formalizing the speed limit change that took place 5 years ago; but police, and local homeowners, are reminding folks to keep to the posted speed.

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