A Community at Risk: Dangerous Speeds on Silverbrook Drive Require Action Now Public Comment from Marcelle Nibel Aimee Brunckhorst
From: Marcelle Nihei <marcellenihei@hotmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2025 4:28 PM
To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Subject: EXTERNAL A Community at Risk: Dangerous Speeds on Silverbrook Drive Require
Action Now
Date: May 29, 2025
To: The Kalispell Mayor Mark Johnson and
Members of the Kalispell City Council
Kalispell City Hall
201 1 st Ave E
Kalispell, MT 59901
Subject: Urgent Request for Speed-Calming Measures on Silverbrook Drive
Dear Mayor Johnson and Honorable Council Members,
I am writing as a deeply concerned resident of Silverbrook Estates to formally urge immediate action to
address the dangerous and increasingly life-threatening speeding problem on Silverbrook Drive.
This road is posted as a 25 mph zone,yet it has become a high-speed thoroughfare for vehicles that
routinely disregard this limit—creating a hazard for all residents,visitors, pets, and wildlife in our
community.
Tragically, last year an elderly man who routinely walked our neighborhood was struck down by a
speeding vehicle on Silverbrook Drive near my house. This could have been preventable, and yet since
then, the issue has only worsened.
Personally, I have had multiple near-misses while walking with my dog, where I've had to leap out of the
way of speeding cars and trucks. Just yesterday, I was nearly hit again—this time by young adults flying
past so fast the driver never even saw me stumble backward with my dog in fear. This is no longer an
occasional issue; it is now a common, daily threat, particularly in the afternoons and evenings.
The situation is compounded by off-road vehicles that often race down Silverbrook Drive "for fun" in the
evenings. The road has no shoulder, only narrow single lanes, which leaves no room for error and
absolutely no protection for pedestrians or cyclists. It is terrifying and unacceptable.
This is a family-friendly area. Children ride their bikes here. Parents walk with strollers.Wildlife cross the
road.And none of us feel safe. Frankly, we aren't safe.
I have contacted the Roads Department and spoke with April, who was understanding and professional.
She said she would forward the issue to engineering for review. I appreciate her attention, but can you
assist to support this effort due to the very lenghty time for reviews and temporary solutions?
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The Kalispell Police have made efforts by installing temporary flashing speed signs. Unfortunately, I have
personally witnessed drivers completely ignore these signals. They are ineffective and do nothing to slow
traffic.
What will work—and what must be implemented immediately—are rolling speed bumps. These should
have been included in the original road design, especially given the nature of the community. They are
the only proven and lasting solution that will ensure drivers to respect the posted limits and protect
human life.
I am confident that I am not the first to raise this alarm, but I am pleading now with urgency and sincerity:
Please act before another person is injured or killed. Please prioritize the safety of our families and
neighbors. Silverbrook Drive is a residential street, not a racetrack.
Thank you for your time,your service to our city, and your attention to this serious matter. I trust you will
act swiftly and decisively to make this road safer for all.
Sincerely,
Marcelle Nihei
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