MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Residents who live along Old Raleigh-Millington Road have safety concerns about the route.
Those who live along the road said one gate has been knocked down about seven times because of speeding, and they want to see changes before these incidents get worse.
“It’s like a racetrack,” said Robert L. Cooper Jr., a Memphis resident.
Cooper Jr. has lived in the area more than a decade and said the speeding has only gotten worse.
“We don’t have sidewalks, so people jump the curb. I came out in the morning and saw tire tracks in the yard,” said Cooper. “At this corner, it’s an accident at least twice a week, I think.”
One Memphis resident said people come down the road to bypass the traffic on Raleigh-Millington Rd.
"It’s a wider street over there. We’ve only got two lanes and no sidewalk,” said the resident.
Cooper said he has almost gotten hit pulling out of his driveway because cars did not stop at the stop sign.
"They say we can’t get any speed bumps. I don’t understand why. We need them because the stop sign is obsolete. They don’t even…It’s null in void. They don’t stop,” said Cooper.
Raleigh-Millington Road is considered a state road. Typically, state routes are not eligible for speed bumps. We reached out to the City of Memphis about the process for adding sidewalks. They said sidewalks are installed as part of capital improvement projects, which are funded by the state.
If no speed bumps or sidewalks can be installed, neighbors said they at least would like to see more Memphis police presence.
“If the police would sit up here a little longer, maybe that’ll make them think twice,” said Cooper.
It is a second thought that is also a first act of safety.
“Twin Lakes and Raleigh Mill Road, it’s a stop sign, ya’ll. Please stop. It’s a stop sign. It takes you two seconds. It’ll save your car. It might even save your life. Just stop,” said Cooper.
We have been in contact with Tennessee Highway Patrol. They are working to provide information on the number of accidents along this strip. We also reached out to Councilwoman Rhonda Logan who represents that district, but we have not received a response.