Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Speed bump on Akron Street

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Would you want to travel over this speed bump?
It feels as if you need an all terrain vehicle.

One of the residents on this street who lets his dog run wild, has been complaining for years about speeders on this street that is one block long. He even posted a sign on a palm tree about speeding. All drivers from the Lake Osborne area use this street to go to Publix or to our downtown with a street light at the end on Lake Worth Road.

The city has now installed a removable speed bump that has a rise approximately 3-4 inches high. There are no signs alerting drivers to this bump thanks to one of the neighbors who took them down--he didn't want this atrocity in front of his house. As you approach, you have to reduce your speed from a 25 mph speed zone down to about 1-2 mph in order to cross it without damage to your vehicle.

Former Public Works director, Joe Kroll, bought a bunch of these temporary rubber speed bumps and the city thought it would try one out...no sense in allowing anything to rot or go to waste, right?.

The owner who was behind the installation of this bump was sitting in his front yard watching all the cars hitting the bump getting his jollies off I suppose.  5 mph is too fast for this bump. The city has everyone driving to a crawl.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

That speed bump looks ridiculous. I don't blame that owner for not wanting it in front of his house. Ugly piece of %$^&.

Anonymous said...

We could use a few of these speed bumps on 2nd Ave North and on D Street, so many people speed, don't stop at stop signs or both. We need more trafficking calming on some of a busy streets like these that do not yet have bumps, I agree they need to be like the ones up further on North D Street and/or also have warnings so you know they are approaching one, but it does slow cars down, especially in areas where people walk a lot, that is the case with the places suggested here. We do need a strategic plan in place to address traffic calming, we have always been ignored in the past and then we see no improvements or too many crazy drivers breaking laws.

Anonymous said...

Just wait until the screws start popping up and the become loose.
Like the bumps on South A st.

Who ya gonna call on a Saturday morning to fix it?

Anonymous said...

first responders just LOVE trying to get to an emergency having to slow down to go over these things.

Anonymous said...

hahaha, I drove over this today. unreal. I can't believe the city would install anything like this on our city streets.

Anonymous said...

I live on Griswold and we have speed bumps that are safe. This is about the worst piece of crap I have seen installed on our city streets. Are they kidding me? Actually, Lynn, you need to come to a complete stop and then crawl over it at l/2 mile per hour to ensure that the under side of your car won't get ripped up. The city must have put this down to shut up these people who have been ranting for years.

Anonymous said...

This is not a private street. Why then does it have this kind of speed reducing device? Good Lord.

Anonymous said...

Let's get honest here...the city didnt do this to shut us up...they did this after numerous speeders trying to get the green light...truck drivers that ignore the " No Trucks" signage on both ends of the street, a petition signed by the residents and people who walk along this street with no sidewalks, meetings with the City Concerning the traffic issues on Akron....oh and just so you know, the supposedly upset homeowner that doesn't want it in front of his house....well...wait for it....he signed the petition and complained and campaigned for it...he wants it in front of your house, just not his.....the majority of the residents LOVE this speed bump...and will do whatever we can and need to do to keep it...it was a long fought battle for it but only because of an affordability issue...a brick / block speed ump can cost up to 35 k , one like this one ....about 2k as we've been told....the proper response here is thank you for saving the taxpayer some green.....this is a result of all you whiners that can't speed, drive your truck on a no trucks street, or text and speed at the same time....boohooo....unless you live here, you don t have a clue....and furthermore the original posting was full of error and insinuations...such as the picture of the dog in the original post, the dog is a stray from Erie Street that the irresponsible owners let roam the street and not the person accused of letting the dog "run wild".... Also this was a community effort and one person alone was not responsible on his own for the placement of this bump.
I visited Ms. Anderson today and asked her to be "fair" and rescind some of the errors and to post the comments from those of us that actually live on Akron Street and have had to put up with this nonsense for years....
If you are so upset that you can't tear down Akron Street anymore, and will use another street....yeah.

Lynn Anderson said...

Thanks, Denise. It was nice meeting you today (although a surprise) and learning of your frustrations with speeders on Akron Street. You now have my phone number and can get in touch anytime. Unfortunately, there are always people who break laws and speed. No objection to the speed bump, as mentioned, just this particular one whose rise is too high. There is no reason to make people come to a screeching halt before they drive over a calming device. This is overkill. Glad to know the signage is back up alerting people to this speed bump.

Anonymous said...

Mike Bornstein, for a city that is highly allergic to law suits, this was a very stupid thing to allow your public works guys to put in our streets. Get rid of it. Denise and her neighborhood deserve a real traffic calming solution.35,000 for a speed bump? I think you put in too many zeros ,Denise. That or else you swallowed the city's line of B.S. they were feeding you to shut you up. You can put in a pool for less than 35,000. A brand new roof is less than this! Denise, I live in your neighborhood and I feel your pain. Speeders are out of control on our streets here in Lake Worth. HOWEVER, that piece of CRAP that they put down on your street has got to go! It is dangerous!. I went down to zero, but I still had to get over that thing , and it almost ripped my tires off! If my car or tires get damaged because of this thing, I'm coming after the city. Period. And don't tell me to not to go down "your" street, Denise . It is a public road. Again, I understand your frustration because I am also sick of the cars that fly down my street .You deserve a real speed bump in your neighborhood, not this ugly, dangerous road hazard!

Kathy K said...

In response to 5:24, the man on this street does have a dog that is always unleashed, it is not the one in the photo but a dog who usually is pretty good and sits on the side of the road watching my car as I travel at a very low speed down your street. At times the dog has been out in the road. You seem to be pleased that people don't want to use this public street because of this obnoxious piece of equipment that was installed there. I pay taxes to use all of our city streets, yours included. This is not just your street.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Lynn for posting my comment...I never implied that this was"my" street....I said if you can no longer disregard the "no truck" " sineage, and are inconvenienced as to not being able to speed to make the light boohoo....I too pay taxes loads of em too...35k does sound outrageous for the cost of a speed bump, but with man hours, unions, permits and a waste of taxpayer dollars that government is so good at ....I'm sure this bump is approved by FLDOT and is approved....I've seen everything from garbage truck to fire trucks to smart cars roll over it and they do not bottom out...it just requires you to slow down considerably to go over it...if you don't properly maintain your vehicle ( tire inflation, shocks) etc...thats your problem and not the City....we actually could use 2 bumps on this street, but making do with one and yes ....we are thrilled,
t

Anonymous said...

I forget I also wanted to address Griswold Street....You have sidewalks down both sides of your street and 2 bumps....that isnot an apples to apples comparison.
We recently witnessed a neighbor pulling out of her driveway, when a speeder passed, yes passed a person doing the speed limit, we thought we were witnessing her death...thank God she had quick reflexes, and that her infant was not in the car.
You shouldn't have to take yor life in your hands trying to leave your driveway in a residential setting.

Anonymous said...

That's funny. Trucks can roll right over this bump.I guess so.We are talking about normal vehicles that are driven down our city streets. The garbage trucks can roll over it with no problem but cars can't.

Anonymous said...

Bornstein, get this piece of crap out of the road or I will sue the city for damages. I'm sure others will join in the suit. I've had it with people like Denise that don't give one damn for the safety of other people. She is HAPPY with this piece of $hit? What a jerk. First a gate so I can't get to the Lantana Publix, now this stop stick so I can't get to Publix Sabor? This is a PUBLIC ROAD !@@!! Denise doesn't want a safe road-she wants a PRIVATE road. Screw you, Denise.

Carol said...

If you hate the new speed bump, honk your horn as you go down Akron. Another piece of crap for the poor slobs west of I=95. Don' expect to see a speed bump like this in College Park. Everyone on Akron should be somewhat miffed about this bump instead of embracing more crap in our neighborhood.

Anonymous said...

Wow...Mr.Anonymous screw you comment ...come out of your shadow...and post your name if you are so adamant and proud of your stance.....good luck hope you are prepared for the probability of 20 YEARS plus to get this "this so called piece of crap" taken up....that's how long it took us to get it.
We DO care about the safety of everyone that's why we wanted it on this street and so did the 50 plus people/ residents that signed the petition....safety was the PRIMARY concern for putting it in place....you let the people / residents worry about what is good for Akron Street and you worry about what is appropriate for safety concern on the street where you reside...I'll be glad to post video of cars , regular cars, all types going over the bump quite easily....there are cameras on this street....so you may not want to take the law into your own hands....you will be videotaped....again I have never implied nor stated that I think this is My Street or acted as though this is a private road...and how ludicrous to say so...for the People, of the People and by the People...