AHWATUKEE, AZ — Multiple cars have crashed into the same block wall in one Ahwatukee neighborhood. It's a stretch of road that residents hope can get some safety improvements.
"It just sounded like just rubber on the road, like it was crazy loud—pretty much loudest tires I've ever heard on the road," said Matt Seelig, an Ahwatukee resident.
Seelig looked out toward his backyard, where he saw skid marks on the road and a car losing control. That happened along 48th Street near Western Star Boulevard.
"A little bit of dust fly up, and then go through their back wall. Immediately text my neighbor," described Seelig.
That neighbor, Jenny Sullivan, is grateful her family wasn't home at the time.
"We frequently go in the backyard to grill, and some of the bricks actually flew down into our yard a couple feet," said Sullivan.
Sullivan said what's even more concerning is that this isn't the first time.
"I felt like it was gonna happen one of these days, knowing that it happened a couple houses down a couple of times already," said Sullivan.
ABC15 covered a story in September 2022 about three other cars crashing into the same block wall. One took out power to the neighborhood, another car landed in someone's pool.
Neighbors told ABC15 they hope more can be done to make 48th Street safer for those walking and biking in the area as well.
"It's scary to be a pedestrian on that road. I walk on it all the time and there are people flying down it. I try to bike on that road; It's honestly like a death sentence," said Seelig.
Neighbors said they frequently hear street racing, on top of the fact that there is a curve on the road that many don't see coming.
"How do you disincentivize people from driving that fast when it's the size of like a normal city's freeway? You know. So, it's a five-lane highway behind the house, and people are going to abuse it," said Seelig.
ABC15 reached out to the City of Phoenix Street Transportation Department, who say residents in the area can begin the process of requesting speed humps, speed cushions, or signage.
"You never believe that it's going to be you but you're like not invincible, other people are not invincible. You can totally, like, really hurt people and their property," said Seelig.
Neighbors told ABC15 they plan to work with the city to find some solutions.
