Speeding Draws Resident’s Complaint

Speedometers sit at both ends of Holly Hill Road, their purpose to gauge speed and slow down drivers. (Photo by Jennifer Peacock)

MANCHESTER – One resident said Green Acres and Holly Hill roads remind him of racetracks, not quiet residential streets.

Resident Charles Morgan brought his complaints to the township council to ask what will be done to deter speeders down these residential roads.

“There is no quality of life with people speeding through there,” Morgan said at the April 10 council meeting.

Green Acres Road is the main entrance into Holly Oaks development, perpendicular to Route 70.

Council President Samuel Fusaro said potholes that dot Green Acres Road likely slow down vehicles. The road will be paved some time this year, which will solve one issue but exacerbate the other.

The speeding problem on Green Acres is new to Manchester Township Police Capt. Todd Malland. He said he is familiar with such complaints on Holly Hill Road, which he described as the major cut-through from Wilbur Avenue and County Road 571 to Green Acres Road and Route 70.

“This seems to be a problem which has been ongoing for years. The majority of the complaints that the Police Department has received over the years has stemmed from Holly Hill Road,” Malland wrote in an email to The Manchester Times. “The issue with speeding on Green Acres is new to me, however, that does not mean that it hasn’t been an issue for some time. It’s just newer to me.”

Holly Hill Road, and possibly Green Acres Road, have drawn complaints from residents that drivers speed down the roads. (Photo by Jennifer Peacock)

Malland said he instructed Sgt. Antonio Ellis, who oversees the department’s traffic safety section, to place a traffic/speed counter on Green Acres Road to collect data. That counter will be in place for anywhere from 14 to 30 days, after which time a plan of action, if needed, will be developed.

“The reason for this is because we need the see if the issue is in fact an issue and to what degree. Actual speed is very difficult to accurately determine by the untrained observer so we want definitive data on the scope of the issue. In addition to collecting actual vehicular speeds, the data collected will also help us determine at what times the issue is most prevalent, so enforcement details can be efficiently and effectively deployed in the area,” Malland wrote. “As you can imagine, we take these types of complaints seriously and plan to make every effort to address the issue accordingly once we obtain factual statistical data.”

The speed limit throughout the development is 25 mph.

Mayor Kenneth Palmer said the township installed solar-powered speedometers at both ends of Holly Hill Road. Often when people see a sign displaying their speed, they will slow down. The township has discussed painting “slow down” on the road as well.

Fusaro added that speed bumps and a four-way stop on Holly Hill Road have also been discussed.

An update will be provided once the data is collected and analyzed by officials.