Dana Schwertfeger says his street is more like a speedway. He holds up a radar gun and points it at a muscle car flying down the street.
"50," he says.
This stretch of Mountain View Road between 71st and 73rd avenues has a posted 30-mile-per-hour speed limit.
Schwertfeger says the speeding problem is even worse after the sun goes down.
"You'll catch someone doing 80 or 85 right here," Schwertfeger said.
Across the street is his neighbor Kathy Cooper. She has started two petitions to get a speed bump by her house on Mountain View Road, but both of them have failed.
"There's kids here, it's a danger," Cooper said.
Just because drivers are speeding doesn't mean you automatically get a speed bump. In the City of Peoria, to get a speed hump, you have to request the Traffic Engineering Division to come out and do a study.
They track the traffic volume and speed, and if they determine there's an issue, the petition moves forward. Then, 70% of the people who live where the speed bumps would be installed have to support it.
Both of Kathy Cooper's petitions, one in 2022, and one in 2023, failed to reach 70% support, according to the city.
Schwertfeger believes safety, not a majority of property owners agreeing, should be the priority.
"If they identify the problem, then why would you need to vote on a petition?" Schwertfeger said. "Just put the speed bumps in. You have identified the problem already."
Needing 70% neighborhood support is not just in Peoria. 70% or more is also required in other major valley cities like Phoenix, Chandler, and Mesa.
Austin Kennedy is the Assistant Traffic Engineer for the City of Peoria. He says the petition process is necessary because speed humps or cushions are not "required devices" and there can be disadvantages.
"They can cause additional wear on vehicles, they can also cause additional noise," Kennedy said. "There are positives and negatives."
Kennedy says once a petition doesn't pass, it's not permanent. Residents in Peoria can re-apply every 12 months.
He adds the necessity for speed humps also would be less if drivers simply followed the rules of the road.
"That would be a great first option," Kennedy said.
According to ADOT, speeding and impaired driving are the two leading causes of traffic deaths in Arizona.
Here is a list of Valley websites where you can report traffic issues online:
- Phoenix: https://www.phoenix.gov/police/safebiz-network/speeding-traffic-issues
- Maricopa County: https://www.maricopa.gov/5750/Notify-MCDOT
- Scottsdale: https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/police/inform-the-police/submit-a-crime-tip
- Mesa: https://www.mesaaz.gov/Resident-Resources/Streets-Transportation
- Tempe: https://www.tempe.gov/government/police/divisions-organization-overview/traffic-bureau
- Chandler: https://chandlerazpd.gov/complaint/
- Gilbert: https://www.gilbertaz.gov/government/gilbert-311
- Surprise: https://www.surpriseaz.gov/1112/Report
- Goodyear: https://www.goodyearaz.gov/our-city/residents/report-a-problem
- Buckeye: https://www.buckeyeaz.gov/residents/police/traffic-info-complaints-240
- Avondale: https://www.avondaleaz.gov/government/departments/engineering-department/traffic
- Tolleson: https://www.tolleson.az.gov/15/Police-Department