East Dallas is cracking down on speed demons. City Councilwoman Paula Blackmon, alongside the Dallas Police Department, led by Police Chief Eddie Garcia, rolled out a new PSA this week aimed at getting lead-footed drivers to lighten up on the gas pedal.
According to the City of Dallas, Blackmon said, "As residents of Dallas, it is incumbent upon us to contribute to this effort and one way we can do so is by adhering to the speed limits." The councilwoman highlights the unique challenges posed by the multiple state highways cutting through District 9, East Dallas has seen a troubling amount of foot traffic turned auto thoroughfare, the problem has escalated, they now not only channel commuters from the suburbs but are also threaded through the heart of these reinvigorated neighborhoods.
With an uptick in speeding incidents in the area, Dallas police have ramped up their presence since December 2023. The DPD hasn't been shy about distributing tickets either, dishing out a whopping 300 citations on Peavy and Mockingbird in a single month's efforts, many of these for speeding.
"The men and women of the Dallas Police Department are doing what they can by educating drivers about our traffic laws and enforcing them. But we need the public’s help too," Police Chief Garcia stated, as per the City of Dallas, and it seems the department's efforts have put the pedal to the metal trying to keep the roads safe but the streets won't calm down without drivers' conscious decisions to slow down, hence the public service plea.
Recognizing that quick commutes can never outweigh the value of human life, Blackmon implores drivers to remember that "While we all have obligations and destinations to reach, prioritizing safety over haste ensures that we arrive at our destinations intact." The PSA is not just a plea—it's a roadmap to a safer community, a community where every driver is seen not just as a passing car, but as a valued member, as Blackmon and Garcia underscored, the goal is to make East Dallas's streets a safe bet for travel, according to the City of Dallas.
