Laurel Drive Residents Disagree on Speed Humps

While one Laurel Drive resident demanded that the Springfield Township Committee remove the recently-installed speed humps from his neighborhood, another resident asked the committee to place a third hump on the street directly in front of his home. 

Committeman David Barnett used the adage "the truth is more interesting than fiction" to describe the extreme differences of opinion voiced at Tuesday evening's Township Committee meeting. 

Laurel Drive resident Mark Rodrick, who has appeared before the committee at its last two meetings to bring up the same issue, continued to ask why other, less costly and extreme measures, such as striping or signage, were not first considered. He also stated that from morning until night he can hear each car as it drives past his house because of the hump that was installed directly in front of his home. 

Rodrick again told the committee that he and other Laurel Drive residents attended a meeting one year ago on Columbus Day, when now-Committeeman Ziad Andrew Shehady was mayor, to say that they did not want the humps on the street. As he has done at the last two meetings, Shehady stepped down from the dais before Rodrick spoke, and asked that a member of the police department remain in close proximity due to phone calls Rodrick has made to town officials that Shehady has deemed intimidating. Addressing Shehady, Rodrick said, "Face your constituents." 

Rodrick also said residents of Tooker Avenue received a letter stating that the humps installed on their street have been effective in reducing speed yet when he has requested the data that backs up that claim, none has been provided to him. 

After Rodrick stepped down, a fellow Laurel Drive resident told the committee the only problem he has with the speed humps is that he'd like another one installed, preferably in front of his home as it is across from the park. 

One area where he and Rodrick agree is in their belief that because of the distance between the humps motorists have a chance to speed up again, which occurs alongside the park. 

Rodrick told the committee that he will attend every meeting going forward until the humps are removed.