SAN ANTONIO -- A San Antonio neighborhood fighting to protect it's children and pets from getting hurt on the streets has hit a road block. The Lavaca neighborhood is not the only one impacted by a change in state law.
Before the law went into effect, September of 2009, San Antonio city officials tell us they had the final say in lowering the speed limit below 30 miles per hour. Now, they must answer to a higher power, the state!
According to Adam Greenup, the spokesman for city councilwoman Mary Alice Cisneros, there is a state law that says a municipality must provide the state with an annual report before reducing the speed limit to 25 miles per hour.
The report must include the number of traffic citations, the number of warning citations, the speed of the vehicles, and the number of accidents for each particular area asking for the change.
That's a concern for some residents like Michelle Stress who lives in the Lavaca Neighborhood.
Stress and other area residents have fought to change the speed limit on their street after numerous pets were run over and killed by speeding drivers. Stress says the street is too narrow and has become dangerous especially with it's proximity to the highway.
So about eight months ago, Stress says they spoke to city councilwoman Mary Alice Cisneros, who was very supportive. The residents were then asked to raise money for the signs and Stress says they came up with seven hundred dollars.
"We called the city and said who do we send the check to? All we got was oh, well, there is a problem," Stress said.
But Greenup tells us their hands are tied with the changes to the state law "The city at this point doesn't track that information individually so it would place additional personnel required not in the city's feasibility."
Major changes would have to be made to the current system according to Greenup, who says it would require a lot of money and time. But Greenup says they are working closely with the San Antonio Police Department to try and accommodate the residents.
Stress says she understands the city must comply with state law and says the city has been more than helpful and supportive. She just hopes something can be done soon before another pet, or someone gets hurt.
