CONWAY -- The city of Conway will reassess its plan to install two speed humps on Elm Street, one near a live oak in the 500 block that causes the street to narrow around it.
A vote on that hump and one at Conway Middle School was tabled from Monday's City Council agenda after Buddy Sasser, president of the Conwayborough Neighborhood Association, talked with Conway City Administrator Bill Graham late Monday afternoon.
Sasser said the association polled Elm Street property owners within its district between Fourth and Ninth avenues and found that 70 percent to 80 percent of them were opposed to putting a hump to slow traffic near the oak. He had thought the matter resolved and was surprised when he found out that consideration of the hump was on the meeting agenda.
"I think there was some confusion about what was said [between the city and the association] and what was heard," Graham said.
According to the agenda, city staff recommended that council members approve the speed humps, which would project about 4 inches above the road's surface, Graham said.
Sasser said there have been some wrecks because of the street narrowing for the live oak over the years, and Graham said at least two have been severe in the past three years. Conway has an ordinance that forbids cutting live oaks for streets, meaning that at least several streets in the residential area adjoining downtown have curbing that goes around the trees and narrowed streets where that happens.
Graham said he believes the traffic situation around the tree has improved at least somewhat since the city installed warning signs and reflectors to warn drivers that the street narrows.
As for the speed humps, Graham said the city had them designed so that a vehicle going over them at the posted speed of 25 mph would be jolted, but that it would not be significant enough to cause damage to the vehicle.
Graham said the speed hump planned in the 500 block would be to slow traffic approaching the tree from Sixth Avenue, and to generally slow down traffic along the road.
Information included in the council's agenda packet said the average speed on the road is 28 mph, according to measurements made by the Conway Police Department.
Graham said Sasser's phone call told him there was more concern about the city's plan than officials were aware of.
He said there will be further discussions between the city and residents before the issue is brought back before the council in December.
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