TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledoans who live nearby West Alexis Road told WTOL 11 on Tuesday that issues of speeding haven't gotten better, despite fatal car crashes.
Bob Brett, who has lived in the area since 1977, said he knows of at least eight deaths that have happened due to crashes in that time.
He and many other neighbors say speeding is a factor in crashes.
"It's a drag strip down Alexis Road and the cops won't do anything about it," Brett said.
The intersection nearby Alexis and Tetherwood Drive has always been a busy one, but over the last couple of years, the amount of speeding and crashes that happen near Brett's home have gotten out of control, he said.
"It's almost like a racetrack out here sometimes. They just go crazy," Bruce, a neighbor who declined to share his last name but said he's lived in the area for 40 years, said.
Modestie Villilovos and her family live near Bruce and said heavy traffic is another factor.
"There's so much traffic you can't even pull out of your driveway sometimes," Villilovos said.
And for these west Toledoans, it's not just Alexis Road that sees speeding. Villilovos said drivers often use the side streets in their neighborhood to bypass traffic and other issues.
"Traffic from Alexis goes down through our street and they go at the same speed. So don't have your dogs out, don't have your kids out. There are a million accidents, especially in the summertime" Villilovos said.
But crashes and speeding aren't the only issues, it's the noise too.
"All during the night. In the morning sometimes, the motorcycles, the speeding cars and they race. It's definitely very, very loud and very disruptive," Villilovos said.
They've asked for something to be done, but feel like it's fallen on deaf ears.
One thing is clear, they don't think changing the speed limit would help.
Many of them say it's only a matter of time before another deadly accident because people will drive fast no matter what.
More police patrolling the area might have an effect, though, Bruce said.
"Probably just more patrols so people know they have to be on the lookout or they're going to get busted. It's a busy, busy, busy road," he said.
As much as the neighbors would like more patrols out here, they also say drivers need to practice simple rules of the road: slow down, pay attention and be respectful when driving through their neighborhood.