For one thing, local governments don’t always have the authority to make these changes — at least not without jumping through some hoops. State laws often require local communities to perform engineering studies to justify a lower speed limit.

This is one thing I’m running up against. The main road that bisects my community is a state highway, five lanes wide with a speed limit of 45.

Children are bussed across the street from the school because it’s so unsafe to cross. The walk signals are barely long enough for an able-bodied person to make it in time, let alone the elderly or children. And there are cars turning while you attempt to cross.

But I can yell at my local government - of which my dad is a part - all I want and they’re helpless to do anything because it’s a state highway. And I’ve told my state rep - who’s someone I know from high school - and he said there’s no way he could do anything because the legislature would never vote for less highways.