LANSING, Mich — Lansing police receive $350,000 grant to help enforce traffic safety.
For more than 55 years, Waddy Thomas has watched over her Southside Lansing neighborhood, earning her the nickname "Southside Lansing Grandma." But lately, she's been concerned about a growing problem on her streets: reckless driving.
"Some of them go real fast to the point where you could see the marks on the streets...and it don't make no sense and as matter of fact, I have yelled at some of them... and said you need to slow down," Thomas said.
Thomas, who has lived in Lansing since 1968, says drivers often ignore her warnings.
"We struggle with traffic violations, the speeding the reckless driving and thing of such," Thomas said.
Lansing City Council President Ryan Kost says local police are actively working to address these concerns. The department recently received a grant exceeding $350,000 from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning to help combat dangerous driving.
"This helps pays for some of that overtime to help get more officers on the road enforcing road safety and cracking down on road violations," Kost said.
According to the Lansing Police Department, the funding will also support their "Click It or Ticket" campaigns, "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" initiative, and bicycle safety programs.
"You got people of all ages walking and biking and when someone drives reckless their lives are in danger," Kost said.
As police work to make the roads safer, Thomas continues her role as neighborhood watchdog, with even her family joining the effort.
"Even my grandchildren be hollering at the drivers saying, you need to slow down!" Thomas said.
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