Residents in Cicero push for lower speed limit
April 11, 2012Cicero (WSYR-TV) – Some Cicero residents are pushing for a new speed limit in a stretch of road near the intersection of East Taft Road and Totman Road in the wake of a deadly accident that took the life of a 51-year-old woman.
Residents say the roadway is a danger zone after several accidents, including
one that killed Leanne Schaefer of Salina in February.
Cindy Smith has made it her mission to make the area a safer place.
“Two of our FedEx employees have been seriously injured and now a fatality at this intersection in the past six months,” said Cindy Smith.
She is calling for change at the intersection where Schaefer was killed after her car was hit from behind.
“She was a great person, a great co-worker, a great friend...and she’s missed...this is a real tragedy,” Smith said.
Ever since the deadly incident, Smith has made it her mission to have speed in the area near the intersection of East Taft Road and Totman Road reduced from 50 miles per hour to 40.
Smith has gathered signatures for a petition and letters from businesses and residents regarding the speed limit at the intersection in the northern suburb.
“The more people I went to, the more I heard about other accidents..like a woman in September 2010 at the same intersection...same thing...and life-threatening injuries for her,” Smith said.
Since the fatal accident in February, town officials conducted an investigation into the intersection and formally recommended a lower speed limit to make it consistent with the entire road.
If approved, the town will continue to work with the Onondaga County Department of Transportation to conduct a study on whether or not a stop light or turning lane should be added at the intersection.
