Neighbors: Speed bumps needed on Derby Ridge Drive
One of the most dangerous roads in Columbia could soon get safer if speed bumps are added.
The city council will meet Monday night to vote on a $32,000 project to add speed bumps along Derby Ridge Drive.
Derby Ridge Drive is in north Columbia between Blue Ridge and Smiley Lane.
While it is a quiet neighborhood, cars whip down Derby Ridge anywhere from 30 – 50 mph.
The speed limit is 25 mph, and 20 mph at one part where Derby Ridge Elementary is.
Neighbors told ABC 17 News something needs to happen so kids walking home from school don’t get hit by a car.
“It’s ridiculous, 40 to 50 mph is not unusual traffic coming down through here,” said Robert Impey, who lives on Derby Ridge.
ABC 17 News took a radar gun out to the neighborhood Monday to find the average speed of drivers was 30 mph.
The fastest we saw was 38 mph.
“There is a lot of kids that walk home from Derby Ridge, and it just terrifies you seeing how fast people are going down through here,” said Impey.
Derby Ridge Drive scored as the highest priority project within the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program.
The scoring system takes a number of things into consideration such as speed, volume and proximity to schools and others.
Impey told ABC 17 News he thinks speed bumps would help.
Other neighbors agreed, saying they would love to see anything that would slow people down.
According to the city, 2,400 cars drive down Derby Ridge each day with the average speed being 39 mph.
