SPEED THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS IS OK, BUT SLOW DOWN ON SUPERHIGHWAYS
A few weeks ago, a man was walking his dog on rural Deep Draw Road in Cumberland county. The man was stuck by a car and fortunately did not suffer life-threatening injuries. Local residents have complained for years about cars speeding on the road along with several other county roads. Turns out, the speed limit on all county roads, unless otherwise posted, is 55mph. Strangely, the so-called super highways in the county such as the new Lantana Road and Peavine Road five-lane highways, are limited to 45mph by the State. We did some investigating and found out that the State sets the speed limits for State highways and all county roads, by default, are set at 55mph. The County Commission ultimately has the authority to reduce the speed limits on county roads. However, the County Commission doesn’t change the default speed limit on county roads unless residents on a certain road ask for the speed limit to be reduced and that’s a process. There have been a few county roads reduced in speed by the county after residents requested but not enough. Here is what the County requires to get a change of speed limit:
1. The resident(s) must consult with both the County Road Superintendent and the
County Sheriff to determine if the speed limit should be changed, as well as to
determine the new speed limit to be requested. If there is agreement on the need
to a request a change to the speed limit, the Road Superintendent and Sheriff
should contact either the Environmental Services Committee Chairman or the
County Mayor to confirm the recommended change.
2. The resident(s) must create a petition that states the road name, the number of
homes and businesses on the road, the existing speed limit, the requested speed
limit, and the reason(s) for the requested change. This petition must be signed by
75% of the residents on the road in question.
3. After completing the petition, the resident(s) must contact either the
Environmental Services Committee Chairman or the County Mayor to place the
request on the next Environmental Services Committee agenda. The resident(s)
must be present at the Environmental Services Committee meeting, with the
completed petition, in order for the request to be heard.
4. The Environmental Services Committee will take one of the following actions:
a. Send the recommendation to the full County Commission for approval as
submitted or as modified by the Environmental Services Committee.
b. Reject the proposed change.
c. Require more information from the resident(s).
5. If the change is recommended for approval by the Environmental Services
Committee, the full County Commission will be the final authority for action on the
request and will vote via resolution concerning the recommendation from the
Environmental Services Committee.
6. If approval is granted by the full County Commission, the cost of the signs may be
passed on to the resident(s) of the road in question.
Quite a lot of red tape to go through just to make county roads safer for residents. It begs the question: If the State sets the State highway speed limits based on traffic and safety, why doesn’t the county do the same. There is no legitimate reason any rural county road with county residents’ homes lining both sides of the road with the high probability of children nearby and adults walking along the road should be 55mph. That is what the interstates used to be regulated years ago. Should the county allow motorists to drive 55mph on rural county roads? We realize the state mandates county roads to be a maximum 55mph – but that doesn’t mean the county could not survey the roads and reduce the speed limit in areas where it is needed or better still, pass a blanket resolution reducing all county roads to 45mph – instead of the ‘citizens’ having to go through a lengthy process just to get their road down to a safer speed. The State doesn’t rely on citizens to set the speed on State highways – the State sets it. Of course, we wonder about the State’s state of mind when the five-lane superhighways in the county are set at a ridiculously low speed of 45mph which no one abides by. If you live on a County controlled road and there isn’t a speed limit sign on the road – it’s automatically 55mph. Will lowering the speed limit stop speeders? No. But it might help begin to slow them down if the County will patrol the roads and hand out citations for a while. In most cases, matters of this nature will go without action until someone is killed on a county road.
Sonny De
April 15, 2022 at 7:36 am
I am very aggravated with the current speed limits on Peavine Rd. I have to drive that road almost every day to get into the city of Crossville and to drive a ridicules 45mph 6 miles of a over newly paved 5 lane road with shoulders, most of the way with sidewalks, nearly zero residential homes with a lot of undeveloped stretches along the way, I believe just one stop sign and approx. 2 lights is absurd. Not to mention the approx. 1.5 mile stretch of 30 MPH. Are they trying to aggravate those of us forced to drive that road? or is it a money maker for the town? If any stretch of road should be at 55 MPH Peavine Rd. is it.
A. Hole
April 15, 2022 at 12:09 pm
This is an excellent article. Deep Draw Road is 55 mph and most of the people driving it go faster than that. Highland Lane is awful too, people speeding and driving in the middle and on the wrong side of the road. Don’t forget the big parts of Hwy. 127 and Hwy. 68 are 40 mph. Maybe if the county commission had the backbone to make it easier to change the speed limits or just change them themselves people might slow down a little. Or maybe if more people got ticketed for speeding they might slow down. 55 mph. is way to fast for most county roads. I also agree that Peavine and Lantana are ridiculously slow, they should both be at least 55 mph.
Deric Claiborne
April 15, 2022 at 10:36 pm
Pissed that the speed limit on Brewer Road has gone from unposted (55mph) to 35mph.
anonymous
April 17, 2022 at 1:34 pm
Spot on article! I purchased a home on Tabor Loop (a rural two lane blacktop road with no shoulder) two years ago, and although posted in areas at 35 MPH the limit is ignored.
In those two years, I have had my mailbox hit and destroyed three times, and the brick work at the entrance to my driveway destroyed once. I reported those instances to the CCSD to no avail and no action taken. The third time my mailbox was hit CCSD wouldn’t even come to take a report, after calling the non-emergency line a deputy called me back, but said he was on the other side of the county and didn’t have the time to respond; I guess he must have been the only deputy working that day!
In addition to those three times I invited the CCSD several times to use my drive as a spot to park and use for speed control enforcement, my neighbor has also done so; while being told they would be happy to do so I have yet to have them utilize the offer. I have been told numerous times by CCSD that despite the posted limit all county roads are 55 MPH; according to this article that is incorrect, if it’s posted that’s the limit. Regardless of the posted limit, or the 55 MPH statute, most individuals exceed both limits by a substantial amount, often as fast as 65-75 MPH. They also seem to have a penchant for crossing the middle lines in blind curves, to take the “inside lane” of the curve; I guess because they think they’re NASCAR drivers.
I have also contacted my County Representative more than once regarding this issue. I do appreciate that my calls were returned, but again nothing seems to have been done. I was told they would contact CCSD to request more patrols and enforcement on Tabor Loop and that they would have CCSD contact me. Neither has been done! I believe I’ve seen a CCSD patrol car on Tabor Loop maybe once every six months, and NEVER to park and do speed limit enforcement; they simply drive down the road and then leave the area, that’s it.
The red tape and bureaucracy involved with addressing this issue are absurd. The only thing that should need to happen is to bring it the attention of the County Council, the CCSD, and possibly the Road Superintendent. Then possibly the placement of a radar device to record instances and do a study, with CCSD also doing physical observations. If the study shows repeated violations of excess speed (especially if it’s already posted at 35 MPH) then CCSD needs to increase enforcement, and the Roads Dept. needs to ensure adequate signage of the limit is in place.