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North Hills residents want city's help to alleviate traffic

The City of Raleigh is looking into changes to help frustrated neighbors who want to alleviate some of the traffic problems in the North Hills area.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — The City of Raleigh is looking into changes to help frustrated neighbors who want to alleviate some of the traffic problems in the North Hills area.

Residents living in the neighborhoods behind the new developments say the heavy traffic is now spilling into their side streets.

Diane Young has lived on Hardimont Road for 21 years. In the last two years, Young said she has seen her quiet community undergo a tremendous change.

"It took me 17 minutes to get out of my driveway because the traffic was backed up to the cul de sac," she said.

Hardimont Road has always been a popular cut through, but as development in North Hills has taken off only a few blocks away, the number of cars in the area has significantly increased.

"This road is unbelievable. Sometimes I feel like I'm taking my life in my hands," said Diane Young, who lives in North Hills.

Young and other neighbors are in favor of the development, but say they feel shafted by the city. They say the city has not invested in traffic calming measures quickly enough to keep them safe.

"My house has twice been hit by a drunk driver," said Matt Marriott. "It's something I live with every day and I'm concerned about it because the next headline may be fatality instead of just property damage."

Mariott, Young and 91 other neighbors signed a petition asking the city to install traffic calming measures along Hardimont Road. They are now hoping, with the help of John Kane of Kane Reality, to make some traction.

"We've told the people that live on Hardimont that are concerned about this that we would be very supportive of their efforts and that we would lobby the city council," Kane said.

Young said she is very excited about having Kane's help.

"We are tickled to death. We need his help. I think he has a lot of power and I think he meant it," she said.

City council ultimately holds the power to give the green light to traffic calming measures, such as speed bumps.

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