Resident campaigns for slower speeds on Lido

Audrey Jensen is trying to gather more than 500 signatures from Lido Key residents in support of her efforts to slow down drivers on the island, a crusade that began when she was taking out Christmas decorations.

Last year, that was an uncharacteristically bittersweet experience for Jensen. When she was unpacking, she came across items that belonged to her dog, Biscuit, who was killed in a hit-and-run outside her home on Garfield Drive earlier in the year.

“I had his stocking, his little Christmas hat and various other items that brought the incident back to mind, and it wasn’t very happy for me,” Jensen said.

Those memories, in conjunction with two close calls with speeding drivers as she was backing out of her condominium complex, motivated her to take action. She said she’s not usually a politically active person, but she knew how devastating a speeding-related incident could be. She didn’t want it to happen to anybody else.

“I just felt the feeling something might happen,” Jensen said. “I had to do something.”

That’s why Jensen was at Saturday’s Lido Key Residents Association meeting, encouraging those in attendance to sign a pledge to slow down while driving in city neighborhoods. The form, issued by the city, also asks residents to stop for pedestrians, watch for bikes and encourage their friends to drive at safe speeds.

Jensen said it was important for residents to prioritize safety when driving through their own neighborhoods. She said speeding was a problem on larger streets such as Ben Franklin Drive, but also on side streets such as Garfield and Cleveland drives.

“If we don’t do it, you can’t expect anyone else to do it,” Jensen said.

The pledge isn’t just an awareness campaign. It’s the first step toward getting the city to consider traffic-calming measures on Lido Key. Jensen said she needs 550 signatures from Lido property owners based on percentages the city requires before conducting a traffic study.

“The level of neighborhood participation in this speed pledge program will be a demonstration of the neighborhood’s investment in addressing the speeding problem,” the pledge form states.

Jensen said the initial response from residents has mostly been positive, though there is some hesitance from some people. At the Lido Key Residents Association meeting, one person in attendance expressed concern about potentially adding speed tables. Other people she’s spoken with have been worried about the prospect of more police enforcement in the neighborhood.

“They get nervous, because nobody wants to get a ticket,” Jensen said.

She said she understands those concerns, but she believes safety is an issue important enough to outweigh them. She also said traffic calming doesn’t necessarily mean speed bumps — it could involve signs or street markings.

So far, Jensen has collected more than 30 signatures. She plans to go door-to-door in the future, and some condo residents have taken pledge forms to distribute at resident meetings. Jensen says she’s facing a daunting task, but she’s intent on trying her hardest to get changes in place.

“I think everybody has good intentions, and they’d love to see it happen,” Jensen said.