CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With school in session, you will probably see more slow-down signs in neighborhoods, and some people want to take matters into their own hands when it comes to speeding drivers.
One Charlotte woman says she wants to install her own speed bumps in the Steele Creek area. She posted the following on Nextdoor:
"I am so tempted to buy some speed bumps from Amazon and put them in Berewick Commons Parkway. People fly down this road, and it makes me so angry."
WCNC Charlotte received a tip about this, with a viewer asking if this is legal.
MORE ON WCNC: No, the National Institutes of Health didn’t approve ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment
THE QUESTION
Can you put your own speed bumps on a public road?
OUR SOURCES
THE ANSWER:
No, you are not allowed to put your own speed bumps on a city, state or county road.
WHAT WE FOUND
Berewick Commons Parkway is a city-owned road. VERIFY emailed the city of Charlotte and was told there are rules in place. A city spokesperson said transportation projects are prioritized through capital bonds, going on to say the city doesn't allow residents to directly fund those projects, including speed bumps.
NCDOT also has a process for installing speed bumps. They have to be installed through an encroachment agreement. The request must go through an HOA or municipality. This means a single homeowner wouldn't be able to obtain an encroachment agreement for a state-maintained road.
NCDOT told WCNC they have the right to remove a speed bump installed on a state road if it was not approved.
"They would be violating the state law," Mauney said. You are not allowed to put things in the middle of the road as a private citizen."
Mauney said that people can also be held responsible if they place something on the road and someone gets into an accident.
"If god forbid there is a car wreck because you put something in the road, you could be sued for the harm of that individual," Mauney said.
However, Mauney said if it's your private property, you're allowed to do whatever you want with the road.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
VERIFY is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. Have something you want VERIFIED? Text us at 704-329-3600 or visit VERIFY.