EDITORIAL: Speed limit signs show government listens

When you hear someone saying government doesn't listen, you can tell them they're wrong. In Coeur d'Alene, it does.

Resident Jim Korver will testify to this.

He recently went to the City Council to ask for help in slowing down speeding drivers on Seventh Street just north of Harrison Avenue. He said vehicles routinely went 30 to 40 mph, and sometimes faster, in an area where the speed limit is 25 mph. 

Korver feared allowing his grandchildren to play in the front yard because one of them might chase a ball into the street. There were no speed limit or stop signs, and no crosswalks.

“I can’t let them be out there,” Korver said. “I can’t take the chance." 

The city not only listened, it responded.

About a week after Korver visited the council, two 25 mph signs were posted on Seventh Street, joined by orange flags so drivers take notice. A pedestrian crossing sign went up.

Shortly after Korver's request, a patrol car parked along Seventh Street and speeding cars were also pulled over on Harrison Avenue.

Even Mayor Woody McEvers got involved and asked the Streets Department to do what it could.

That's a lot of government response in reaction to a single request. And for that, we are thankful.

We believe this reflects the dedication of those at City Hall. They don't ignore citizens. They don't dismiss their concerns. They don't do only what serves their interests. Citizens matter.

Now to be clear, it doesn't mean those in government will always respond this way, but it does show they will do what they can, and sometimes, more than expected.

In a city of more than 50,000 people, such a rapid response seems like something you might see in a small town. In some ways, despite its growth and constant flow of newcomers, Coeur d'Alene remains a small town. 

It's still a place where you almost always run into someone you know downtown. It's a place where neighbors know each other. It's a place where residents support local businesses and those businesses in turn support their community.

It's with pleasure we see our city government taking notice of local concerns and responding with conviction. That's all we ask.