To the editor:

We were very encouraged by the plan to install traffic calming measures on Liggett. In the many years we have lived here on Liggett, we have witnessed so much dangerous speeding and general bad driving behavior from construction vehicles, landscaping trucks, FedEx and UPS delivery vans, residents and even school buses. The posted speed limit is 20 mph, but it is very clear that few drivers observe that. Our area does not have sidewalks on both sides of Liggett, so there are many pedestrians having to cross, people are walking their dogs, there are little children playing, people riding bicycles, parents with babies in strollers and vehicles trying to exit their driveways. 

We have communicated our concerns to the City of Crestwood many times, as have other residents. When the city finally installed the “speed hump” near us, we were hopeful. It’s not much of a “bump,” and what we have observed is that few drivers slow down for it. Many drivers coming up Liggett from Big Bend accelerate, waiting until the last minute, if at all, to slow slightly. Others coming down the hill go over the hump at speed and then speed up crazily, only to quickly reach the intersection with Big Bend. The noise from this is worse than it was before installing the hump! I understand that engineers studied the area and calculated where to place the traffic calming devices, but the placement of this particular hump doesn’t seem to be helping. Maybe we need four or five more on this stretch? I’m kidding of course, but seriously, it’s only a matter of time before something awful happens. We actually had one neighbor who said, when approached about his crazy speeding: “I always speed here and I haven’t killed anyone yet.”

MC Piper

Crestwood