Editor:
Two years ago, my wife and I moved from congested and traffic-snarled Denver to East Chestnut Street, a few doors down from Edgewood. We were drawn to the idea of a quiet, walkable neighborhood with kids playing nearby, reminiscent of the peaceful and safe neighborhoods we grew up in.
After learning about the city’s proposed changes to Edgewood and High Streets, we realized our retirement dream neighborhood was at risk. While improving the city’s traffic flow is important, it is crucial for the city to protect the peace, quiet, and safety of residents in existing residential neighborhoods.
The current proposal is to widen Edgewood and take out the current stop signs. These changes will make the 25 mph speed limit a farce. Now, residents of Verndale and Chestnut streets must endure speeders who ignore the 25-mph speed limit and drive 40- 45 mph, endangering kids and walkers.
Would you like speeders driving 45 mph in your 25 mph neighborhood, endangering your kids and walkers? The changes will also cut down 75 to 100-year-old trees that are the pride of our neighborhood. Worse, the city will condemn and demolish a beautiful home at the east end of High Street.
Traffic enforcement assurances by city officials fall on deaf ears in our neighborhood because the city has failed to enforce or mitigate speed by writing speeding tickets.
Ironically, while the Mount Vernon City Council is busy implementing this road project that will destroy our peaceful and safe neighborhood, city officials around the country recognize the importance of strong neighborhoods by installing traffic-calming methods.
These city council members recognize the importance of protecting kids and walkers and securing property values. It is important to remember that the city’s tax revenues decrease when our property values drop due to the increased noise, speeding, and congestion created by this disastrous project. Therefore, taxes on your home must make up the shortfall.
I can guarantee that if two or three city council members lived on Edgewood, this road project would not have even been considered.
Please consider your neighborhood when you vote on this issue in the November election.
Would you like the city to dramatically increase the traffic volume and speed down your residential 25 mph street?
Please help us protect our neighborhood. Please vote NO?
Michael and Wendy Sanera
Mount Vernon, Ohio