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Saturday, October 4, 2025 at 11:31 PM
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Speed study requested in G-A

Speed study requested in G-A
A speed study has been requested for Western Avenue (M-22) which runs through the heart of Glen Arbor. Enterprise photo by Kate Ward

A request for a speed study and speed limit reduction on Western Avenue was presented to the Glen Arbor Township Board this week.

Glen Arbor resident Nancy Mueller made the request.

“I’m speaking as an advocate for my six grandchildren and all the other children and the adults who wander through Glen Arbor on a bicycle and walking when a car is going 35 mph past them,” she said.

This was her third time bringing this issue to the Glen Arbor Township Board. Mueller brought up that the main streets in other townships have speed limits below 35 — Glen Arbor’s speed limit — and said that she believes the town can create a safer environment by lowering the speed.

Township Clerk Pam Laureto reassured Mueller that the board has heard her request, takes it seriously and is working on it. Laureto explained that since the road in question is a section of M-22 and therefore a state trunk line, any request for a speed study must go through the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the state police. She also mentioned that Leland had made a similar request for a speed study and been turned down.

Laureto made the point that despite the speed limit being 35, many people drive slower out of caution and very few vehicular incidents have ever taken place on the street.

“I asked the fire chief and he went back 10 years in his records — there’s only been three incidents that have occurred in town,” said the clerk. Out of the three incidents, no one was seriously injured.

Mueller and Laureto sparred for a minute or so over whether cars have the ability to go 35 mph through Glen Arbor. While Mueller maintained her stance that since it is legal, cars do in fact go that fast, Laureto countered that with so many people in town this time of year it is impossible to reach that speed safely.

“You legally could (go 35 mph), if you don’t care what’s in front of your vehicle, but you legally can’t run over people or run into their cars,” the clerk said.

Township Supervisor Tom Laureto used an example of concern over the speed limit on Dunns Farm Road last year. There was a request to lower the speed limit on that road from 55 mph to 40 mph or even down to 35 mph.

“It was a legitimate request,” he said. The supervisor told Mueller that the county happened to be doing a random speed study on Dunns Farm road over that particular Labor Day weekend.

“Basically 85% of the people that were driving through were below 58 or 60 mph … they also look at how many incidents there are and there was nothing,” explained the supervisor.

His point being that with so few incidents on M-22 through Glen Arbor, he is doubtful that the state will greenlight a speed study. He did confirm however that he will wait for guidance from MDOT and will proceed with a speed study if the state deems it necessary.

In other news from the meeting Glen Lake Fire Chief Brian Ferguson gave a report noting that the department received 70 calls during the month of June and have already received 51 calls this month. He also gave an update on the new ladder truck. Ferguson plans on formally placing an order for the truck on September 9 after visiting the manufacturer and reviewing specifications. While this new truck won’t be custom made it will still be an excellent vehicle and vital addition to the department. Pam Laureto pointed out that despite the truck being $1.6 million, it is $400,000 cheaper than a custom truck, will be ready much faster and is better for the taxpayers.


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