MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Residents in the Oakhaven neighborhood are upset with witnessing numerous reckless drivers and the dangers they can cause everyone else on the road.
Some of the people who live in that area said they are calling on Memphis City Hall to install speed humps with the hopes they could slow down the speeding that's going on.
One of the intersections that those residents have concerns about in Oakhaven is Earle's Court and Clarendon Road. Patricia Byers, who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 25 years, said this has become such a big issue that no one feels safe parking their car on the street.
"Since I've been here, I've had to replace three mailboxes," Byers said. "The lady across the street — she's had to replace a mailbox. She actually had a brick mailbox that her kids got her for Mother's Day, [a] car come around Clarendon here, lost control and knocked the mailbox out," Byers said.
Brenda Ward, who has lived in Oakhaven for more than 20 years, told ABC24 that a speeding vehicle years ago killed her dog. Ward said speed humps need to be installed immediately.
"One of my neighbors saw them so they slowed up, and then they took off," Ward said. "You gotta have respect whether it's your neighborhood or not."
A representative with the City of Memphis told ABC24 citizens have to formally submit a request for road improvements such as speed humps. They said there's a website everyone can track the progress of citizen requests. They also said as of last July, no one has made a formal request for speed humps on Earle's Court Road. However they said South Edgeware Road, between Bishops Bridge Road and Old Tchulahoma Road, was submitted Nov. 19, 2022, for a speed hump. Another intersection, Edgeware Road between Winchester Road and Bishops Bridge Road was submitted April 5, 2023. Both intersections are currently in the design phase.
A representative also said there have been two denied requests for speed humps for Edgeware Road between Winchester Road and Old Tchulahoma Road — submitted in 2017 and rejected by the Memphis Fire Department. The second was Edgeware Road between Winchester Road and South Edgeware Road — submitted in 2021, but rejected for not meeting criteria.
Memphis City Council member Pearl Walker told ABC24 she does not think speed humps are the solution to fix reckless driving in Oakhaven.
"I don't think its necessarily a permanent or immediate fix," Walker said. "However, I do recommend they apply for the speed bumps. It's a process, but it's not complicated."
Walker said citizens have a voice in the issues they want to see get resolved, but they must present them to Memphis City Council members.
"Email us. Show up at the meetings. We need to hear from you, and that does make a difference," she said. "When we hear from the constituents. it does make a difference. Don't make the assumption that we know already. Don't make the assumption that your voice doesn't matter."
A representative with the City of Memphis said residents can also dial 311 to submit a request for a speed hump. They said once a request is received, their engineering department can begin the process to see if that request is feasible.