Chillicothe — Two city streets will get speed humps to slow traffic: Part of South Watt Street, and part of Pawnee Road.
Jeff Creed, chair of Safety Services on Chillicothe City Council, saw his ordnance passed to spend $15,000 to create the speed “humps.” (These are not thin speed bumps, but short platforms of raised pavement that are less harsh…but still suggest drivers to slow down.)
Creed said the city Safety Director had proposed the speed humps for South Watt Street between East Main Street and the railroad. Creed said the problem is speeding car drivers, not the freight trucks delivering to the grain elevator just south of the tracks – those were diverted a few years ago onto Eastern Avenue and then north up Watt Street.
But speeders on Pawnee Road were also a concern, on the street in the Zane Addition off Bridge Street. Large truck traffic is a concern in the subdivision there, but also speeding cars.
Creed said the police had put up a digital speed sign that showed a vehicle’s speed but did not record or report it. That slowed speeders…but when the sign was moved elsewhere after a few months, Creed says drivers went right back to speeding. So, $5,000 was added to the original proposal to cover that area.
Creed says the speed humps will start past the entrance to Danbarry Cinemas, and will not impact traffic to the theater.
Chillicothe Council passed the ordinance to fund them on second reading Monday evening, since they did not have the quorum to do so at first reading in the previous session. Signs to warn drivers about the humps are a part of the price.
Hear Creed in his own words in the below interview video.
