SAN ANTONIO – Weeks after KSAT’s Know My Neighborhood series highlighted safety concerns on a street in Denver Heights, the City of San Antonio made improvements to slow traffic down.
“It was a blessing in disguise,” said Aubry Lewis, president of the Denver Heights Neighborhood Association.
He grew up along Iowa Street. As part of our Know My Neighborhood series, Lewis and other neighbors told KSAT they wanted solutions to speeding.
Lewis said he felt like nobody cared after years of complaints went unheard.
“The bare minimum is a stop sign,” he told KSAT in January.
Improvements made on March 10 exceeded Lewis' expectations.
The city installed flashing stop signs on all four corners of Iowa and Palmetto.
San Antonio police said they responded to five major accidents at the intersection last year.
“What do you think led to this change?” asked KSAT reporter Daniela Ibarra.
“Well, you and the KSAT team, you guys came out, you talked with us,“ said Lewis. ”You aired our problems and concerns.”
Those concerns, Lewis said, were heard by the city manager’s office.
Lewis said Interim Assistant City Manager John Peterek called him and visited Denver Heights to see the problem.
“After we rolled up and down Iowa, he told me, he said, ‘Aubry, I can take care of that problem for you,’” Lewis said.
In addition to the flashing stop signs, the city lowered the speed limit on Iowa Street from 35 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour.
“Without you guys, we would not have been able to accomplish this,” Lewis said. “I mean, we’ve been beating on a closed door for a long time.”
It’s a small change Lewis sees as a big win for safety.
“I’m happy. Everybody in the area is happy,” he said.
