This Detroit neighborhood bought and installed their own speed bumps. The city took them out

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Lichfield Road in Green Acres is much like any other residential street in Detroit - there are a lot of kids who live there and some drivers treat it like a freeway.

"We have people who fly down here at 50, 60 miles an hour," said Jim Fracassa.

"We have all been complaining because it is hard for the kids to be outside playing and these cars are flying up and down the street," said Anna Maria Jordan.

People living on this block say they've pleaded with the city for years to install speed humps, but nothing was done. The reckless driving continued.

Residents were fed up, and a group of dads on Lichfield said enough was enough.

"We decided just to fund ourselves and raise the funds for speed humps in our street," said Ismail Lucas.

They raised $2,000, bought speed humps and installed them. They were a bit shorter than the bumps the city uses, so they would not damage cars, and spaced out just enough for emergency vehicles. 

"It was a quality install, it was done right and they were small, and they were working," Fracassa said.

"It was the quietest couple of days I've had on the street since we moved here in 2017. The people saw it coming, they would slow down like they're supposed to and they would stay that speed going further on," said Andrew Krok.

But the quiet was shortlived. Four days later the city's Department of Public Works removed the speed bumps.

FOX 2: "What's it been like since the speed humps were taken out?"

"Since the speed humps have come up the speeders are back," Jordan said.

"We knew it would be easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. when we were putting them in, we knew we weren't supposed to, but we didn't think they'd come and take them - especially four days later," Fracassa said. 

"You just can't go onto city streets and make determinations on your own to alter the roadway," said Ron Brundidge.

Brundidge heads up the Department of Public works and says a traffic engineering study has to be done to determine the best way to address speeding vehicles.

He says the city received 7,000 requests for speed bumps, but can only install about 1,200 this year. It is prioritizing streets around schools and parks where they have the highest rates of pedestrians and kids.  

FOX 2: "Is there any sort of scenario where if they mimic the exact specs that the speed cushions that the city installs, that they could do the same if they desire to do so, if they raise the money on their own, is there anyway that can happen?"

"Right now there is not a process for that," he said. "What we want --"

FOX 2: "Should there be?"

"We want every neighborhood to go through the same process and request a speed cushion through the city's website," Brundidge said.

"For years there was just absolutely no response to this. So what are we supposed to wait for? Somebody to get hurt?" said one neighbor.

"The city has to change the system. the system itself is broken. what needs to be done is create a department where the community can raise their own funds and put in their own speed bumps," Lucas said. "Instead of waiting on this waiting list."