SLOWING down traffic in the neighborhoods

The dangers of driving too fast in Tulsa neighborhoods. With warm weather upon us, we're all noticing more children playing in the streets; darting from behind parked cars. KOTV's Tami Marler

Wednesday, May 23rd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The dangers of driving too fast in Tulsa neighborhoods. With warm weather upon us, we're all noticing more children playing in the streets; darting from behind parked cars. KOTV's Tami Marler went to one busy neighborhood, where residents are fed up with speeders.

City of Tulsa traffic officials are responding to resident complaints about speeders in a local neighborhood. Rubber tubes help to measure both the number of cars, and their rates of speed. It's a first step in calming traffic near your home. Scott Stephens would like to take regular walks with baby Josey, but sometimes it can be more of an adventure than they'd like. "Speeders coming through here and you know, and people walking down the street and possibly getting run over. I've seen my neighbors have close calls and it's kind of scary." Scott Stephens says he has called city officials for a year and a half about not only speeders, but also stop sign runners in his neighborhood with no results. "I've called the city engineers and they've told me to call the police, and the police have told me to call the city engineers. I've called the Mayor Action Hotline."

He turned to the News on Six out of concern for his neighbors, and his own child, who will be walking soon. "My concern is if she gets loose or out of my sight or something and she does get out in the street. Is someone going to be speeding in the same manner as what they've been doing in the past?" Stephens and his neighbors have signed a petition, requesting an additional stop sign. On the petition, most residents said they too have complained repeatedly. City of Tulsa, Mark Brown, "And then here at Marshall and Denver we have put a roundabout or what they call a traffic circle."

Mark Brown is the head of Tulsa's Traffic division. He says this traffic circle at Marshall and North Denver is an attempt to address resident concerns about speeding. It's a pilot program, part of a citywide effort to make streets safer, starting with a steering committee, and lots of research. "There really isn't gonna be any reason to reinvent a wheel so to speak. We've got the information at hand; it's just a matter of how we put it to use here in our city."

The Stephens family and their neighbors will be turning in their petition to city officials, hoping for some action in their neighborhood. Mark Brown of the City says to call the Mayor's Action line if you have concerns about streets near you.