Suncrest Street to Have New Speed Humps to Slow Traffic

Residents living in the Brittany Woods subdivision are getting a few new speed humps to help slow down traffic.

Last week, the Oxford Board of Aldermen approved placing three to four speed humps on Suncrest Street, between Hillmont Drive and Brandywine Drive.

Speed humps, like the ones on Washington Avenue, are wider than speed bumps and slow down traffic, but are easier on vehicles.

Recently, a resident from the subdivision contacted the city about vehicles speeding on Suncrest, and said that her mailbox had been knocked down several times by cars who lose control while driving too fast around the curve at the end of the street.

A speed study was completed, and city staff found that 85% of the vehicles were going an average of 29 mph, which is above the posted limit of 20 mph.

City Engineer Reanna Mayoral said while they were doing the study, she saw a car nearly lose control at the curve.

“There were children playing in the yard across from the curve,” she told the Board. “If the driver hadn’t been able to gain control of the car, it might have gone into that yard.”

Edge stripes were recently installed to narrow the lanes in hopes of slowing traffic.

City staff analyzed the entire subdivision, creating zones for the consideration of speed tables; however, Mayoral requested the speed humps only be placed in Zone 1 on Suncrest at this time.

The resident who requested the speed humps garnered signatures from 75% of the residents living in Zone 1, which is 15 of the 20 houses along that portion of the road.

“One of the houses is currently listed for sale and is not occupied,” Mayoral said.

Anyone driving in the subdivision can avoid the speed humps by taking alternate routes inside the subdivision.

Existing speed bumps, placed by Lafayette County prior to the area being annexed, will be removed.

Mayoral said at least three-speed humps will be installed near the curve. A fourth could possibly be installed further north on the road if the two homeowners who would be directly in front of the speed hump approve its installation. however, at this time, the two homeowners have not signed the petition.

Speed humps in other zones could be considered in the future if residents can gain approval from the homeowners in those areas via a signed petition.