BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Bloomfield Township police have ramped up enforcement of illegal left turns near the Hickory Grove subdivision, issuing more than 140 tickets in less than a week as residents grow frustrated with drivers cutting through their neighborhood.
The no-left-turn restrictions apply to eastbound Hickory Grove Road at three intersections — Rambling Way, Courville Drive and Aspen Lane — during morning and evening rush hours. The signs were installed over the summer, but residents say drivers have largely ignored them.
For months, neighbors along Rambling Way have watched car after car illegally turn left into the subdivision. Over the last several days, they've also watched car after car get pulled over.
"Absolutely love it, yesterday morning was just open field day," said Susan Calhoun, a Bloomfield Township resident.
Calhoun says drivers simply aren't paying attention.
"These people are not paying attention to the signs at all, they are just turning left," Calhoun said.
Resident Michelle Gikas, who was out for an evening walk, says the problem worsened after I-696 closed, prompting drivers to exit Telegraph Road and use the neighborhood streets as a cut-through to I-75. With no sidewalks in the area, the increased traffic has become a safety concern.
"Security, safety of the kids, because there's no sidewalks, bus stops where they have to stand in the street to be picked up," Gikas said.
Bloomfield Township Police Officer Sean Manor echoed those concerns.
"The biggest safety concern from them (residents) is they don't want to be hit by a car, and when there's a ton of traffic in there that probability just goes up," Manor said.
Manor said officers did conduct enforcement when the signs first went up, but mostly issued warnings at that time. That approach has changed.
"People are saying, 'Well, my GPS told me to turn down there,' and while I can understand your GPS is telling you to turn down there, at the end of the day a driver is ultimately responsible for following the laws of the road, the signs posted," Manor said.
Resident Eric Griffin says he has noticed some improvement with the signs but says drivers still aren't getting the message.
"I've noticed it slowed down, but people aren't getting the hint," Griffin said.
Gikas had a direct warning for drivers still making the illegal turns.
"Don't do it. You could get a ticket and it's going to be 2 points on your record and it's going to hurt your bank account," Gikas said.
Each ticket carries a $125 fine and 2 points on a driver's record. Police say enforcement will continue.
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