DUBLIN, Ga. — In 2023, the City of Dublin worked to make some of their neighborhood streets safer through Project Slow Zone.
According to their website, they do this by "traffic calming" which is: "the combination of measures that reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior, and improve conditions for pedestrians, bicyclists, and neighborhood residents."
Their website said traffic studies were completed for each street and staff analyzed the need for traffic calming measures for phase one.
Stonewall Street was included in the first phase, and that's where Chuck Horne lives.
"We love the neighborhood. It's great people, very friendly and it's a mixed neighborhood which is nice," Horne said.
He said sometimes people come into the neighborhood and disturb the peace.
"We actually had two people pull up here and drag race down the street," Horne said.
That's why he was glad to see the speed limit reduced from 35 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour this year, as part of Project Slow Zone.
The City of Dublin also added speed cushions in the middle of the street.
"It was a good idea. I think the only thing they almost need more because they go slow over the speed bumps, but then they pick up speed very quickly," he said.
He hopes the city does more work on his street, to make his neighborhood even safer.
"They just need to add a couple other features to help slow things down. And I hope one day they'd be able to put sidewalks all the way down," Horne said.
Over on Village Circle, Kalondrick McClain lived there for about four years. His street is in phase two of Project Slow Zone.
"Over this way, we got a school right here. We have kids you know, up and down the roads," he said.
Kalondrick said so far, people have been following the speed limits and he hopes it stays that way.
"Good neighborhood over here. Try to keep it clean, safe for the kids. It's all that matters, the kids," he said.
The City of Dublin's website said for phase three of the project, they're looking at improving Rollingood Drive, Dunwoody Street, Camelia Drive, E. Mary Street, Springdale Road, Central Drive, Rowe Street, and Benton Street.
They hope to start on those streets sometime in early 2024, although that's subject to change.
Phase one streets included Stonewall, Coney, Highland, Woodrow, Kersey, Roberts, Goler, and Earlwood.
Phase two streets included Woods Avenue, Waverly Drive, Brookhaven Drive, Village Circle, Hudson Drive, Shadow Pond, Live Oak Way, Decatur Street, Edgewood Drive, and Cardinal Drive.