Residents deliver 64-signature petition, urge immediate traffic study for South Lake Shore Drive

Betty Baden, a South Lake Shore Drive resident, told the council she had collected 64 signatures and described repeated speeding and recent crashes on a street with no sidewalks. "Every single day from my front window and yard, I watch vehicles race through our neighborhood, speed levels that completely disregard the posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour," she said, asking the council to "direct township engineering and police department to initiate a comprehensive traffic study on South Lake Shore without delay."

Council members responded that the township can place an automated speed-count box and coordinate with the police chief and public works to examine sightlines and parking. Engineering staff said a data-driven study would record timestamps and speeds so council and staff can assess options such as radar signs, temporary removable speed humps, targeted enforcement or infrastructure changes. Resident speakers suggested time-specific counts tied to school bus pickup and drop-off times and asked that parking be included in the study to evaluate sight-triangle problems.

Why it matters: South Lake Shore serves many pedestrians and school bus stops but lacks sidewalks; residents attributed past serious crashes to speed and said the petition demonstrates local support for an evidence-based response. Council committed to arranging counts and following up with police and engineering to develop a short list of possible mitigations.