Resident says speeders a problem on South Holly in Elk Mound

By LeAnn R. Ralph

ELK MOUND  —  Elk Mound resident Carol Peterson says she is tired of speeding traffic racing past her house on South Holly Avenue in a 25 mile-per-hour zone.

Peterson spoke about her traffic concerns during the citizen’s forum portion of the Elk Mound Village Board meeting January 6.

South Holly in Elk Mound also is identified as county Highway H.

Speeding traffic has always been a problem, but the problem seems to have grown much worse over the past year or so, Peterson said.

At this time of year, the problem seems to be worse before school in the morning and after 3 p.m. when the high school lets out for the day, she said.

During the spring, summer and fall, race cars coming from the Twin Cities and heading out to Rock Falls add to the traffic problems, Peterson said.

Village President Andy Peterson wondered if Carol Peterson had noticed an increased police presence lately in her area of town.

The village board has asked the police department to do more patrol in that area, he said.

Every morning at around 6:30 a.m., a revving motor on S. Holly starts up and then tears down H, Carol Peterson said, noting that she was finally able to get a license number and had given it to the police officer on duty and that the officer had been able to talk to the driver.

Part of Carol Peterson’s concern is the school bus stopping in the morning to pick up 20 or 30 children and then stopping again in the afternoon to let them off.

The speeding traffic sometimes “blasts around” the bus stopped to pick up or drop off children, she said.

After talking to her neighbors, Carol Peterson said there is a general concern that “an accident is coming,” she said.

“I have sat on that corner for 29 years, watching,” she said, noting that other hot spots for speeding traffic are University Street and North Holly Avenue.

“What is the point of a 25 mph sign if people are going to drive 55 or 60?” Carol Peterson asked.

Mark Levra, director of public works, said he has checked into the flashing, lighted signs that indicate the speed of traffic and discovered the signs are $7,000.

Levra said he has also looked into the signs that sit in the middle of the street, indicating state law requires traffic to stop for pedestrians.

The signs that sit in the street are more affordable, Levra told the village board.

Andy Peterson said the village would ask the police chief to assign more police patrol along South Holly to address the traffic problems.