NOT ONE Person Drives the Speed Limit on Highland Blvd
Ok, one old lady in a Chrysler did. But we hung out for one solid hour near the speed check placed by BPD recently and she was the ONLY one.
In fact, we saw well over a dozen cars and trucks actually SPEED UP significantly as they passed the box hoping to clock a sexier number? (Three were over 50 MPH. In broad daylight.)
But most were driving in the low 30s. Dozens and dozens of them. ONE CAR was going 25 MPH. That's it. One of these days, something terrible is going to happen - but I certainly hope that an injury related accident (or worse) isn't what it takes for people to start paying attenion.
Highland Boulevard in Bozeman has three speed sections. There's a long 35 MPH stretch with a 25 MPH piece on each end. That 25 MPH stretch is SUPER important because there's nothing but residential streets on the east side of Highland...and all of those people need to cross the street with their kids or their dogs to use the paved pathway on the WEST side of Highland.
It's a very busy street, running from Main Street up past the hospital, senior living neighborhood and then a long residential area until Kagy.
Highland is also home to one of the most popular trails in the area, with a well-used paved walkway that runs the entire length. There are crosswalks at nearly every intersection.
Individuals, families, kids and pets are constantly using the pathway and trails, not to mention trying to cross Highland safely.
It's obviously the main artery to the hospital, with emergency vehicles often needing folks to pull over. More than once, they've been delayed with people not paying attention - too busy hauling ass?
Every once in a while, the Bozeman Police Department has a speed check box set up as you approach Highland and Kagy...which is a 25 MPH zone. (It's also a high traffic area with several side streets feeding onto Highland.)
The moral of the story is: Highland Boulevard is an EXTREMELY important street. It's imperative to pay attention to the 25 MPH sections. It's no joke...kids and older folks in that neighborhood cross that street all day long. It's fully residential. It's not a racing circuit.