TAMPA, Fla. — A South Tampa man introduced his own unique way of combating speeding drivers along South Church Avenue.
"It's not a volume issue, it's a speed issue," said Walker Peek. "The city — and mainly the traffic calming division — has not really been receptive to our goals of getting some deterring measures here."
Peek took matters into his own hands, fed up with drivers constantly speeding through his neighborhood.
"It's 25," said Peek. "You ask people... it's 45 or 50 is their guess."
A collapsible table, some paint, and plenty of frustration led Peek to construct his own homemade 25 mph speed limit sign. Peek says the new warning placed outside his home is finally getting the attention of city officials after several attempts to get answers over the last four months.
"Their only definitive feedback to me so far was that's a code violation. And my feedback to them was, we're happy to pay the fine as long as you get people to slow down."
ABC Action News has learned, a Tampa Police cruiser now sits along Church Avenue.
City of Tampa officials say they will post additional speed limit signs along Church Avenue, between Bay to Bay Boulevard and El Prado.
Jean Duncan, Transportation and Stormwater Services Department Director, says the city will also add 25 mph pavement messages reflective panels on existing 25 mph speed limit signs.
"It's sad that it took all this to make it happen, but as long as people slow down, that's all we care about," said Elizabeth Peek.
The City of Tampa recently completed a speed study of Church Avenue and will re-study the location "to determine the effectiveness of enhancements" in one to two years.
