MESA, AZ — People in Mesa’s historic Lehi community are celebrating after the city approved lowering posted speed limits from 35 miles per hour to 30.
Homeowners said they have pressed for the change for years as vehicles increasingly used the neighborhood’s narrow, rural roads at dangerous speeds. The Lehi community, a slice of country within Mesa city limits, was founded in the 1870s by early Latter-day Saints settlers.
“We’ve got to get on top of the speeding thing,” one resident said.
Neighbors said someone recently used a police speed gun and clocked a driver at 100 mph. They also reported that some drivers have been traveling without headlights.
Marilyn Crosby, who works with the Lehi neighborhood improvement association, said she is fed up with reckless driving through an area where residents ride horses on road shoulders and 4-H students transport livestock.
“We’ve had horses hit and killed. We’ve had horses almost hit and killed. We’ve had pedestrians — same story. We’ve had a number of small animals — same fate,” Crosby said.
Homeowners blame an influx of new drivers from nearby construction and cited a late 2021 crash in which a speeding driver struck and killed a horse.
Michelle McCrosky, a Lehi homeowner, said the lowered speed limit should help protect children, riders and neighbors.
“It’s not just kids on horses. It’s kids on bikes. This is an agricultural area, and people neighbor back and forth. If we can’t get on top of the speeds and try to manage and control it a little bit better,” McCrosky said.
Lori Boyle, who frequently rides her 16-year-old quarter horse, Ruby, on the local roads, said she feels safer now.
“Thank you to the council and to our mayor that this all happened. The best thing about it is we’re a little safer,” Boyle said.
Mesa City Council members unanimously approved the new speed limits on July 27. Lehi homeowners said they would like to see fewer cars cutting through the neighborhood and urged exploration of additional measures, such as more stop signs.
A Mesa Police Department spokesperson said officers will continue to monitor the area.
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