New technology hopes to solve reckless driving along 38th Street

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Department of Public Works wants to improve a busy road on the north side.

Homeowners on 38th Street said they can often hear the honking horns of near-miss crashes from reckless drivers along the road.

That’s exactly what the city is looking into.

“These are things that obviously aren’t picked up in our normal reporting,” said Kyle Bloyd, Chief Communications Officer for DPW.

“We’re obviously reviewing intersections for crashes, but you don’t pick up the almost, and that’s a new and exciting layer of data for our team.”

With their new Miovision Scout units, they’ll be able to record video and track speeds in the area 24/7.

Two have been set up at MLK and Michigan to monitor the traffic.

As of Wednesday, they’re being moved near Illinois Street.

“The cars are not paying attention; They are running the light, and they’re just flying up and down the street,” said area resident Medinah Henderson.

Henderson said she’s seen several crashes throughout the entire high-speed strip.

In 2020, her son Andre was killed riding his bike, just a block from home at 38th and Boulevard.

“He was trying to cross the street,” said Henderson. “He made it halfway across, and that was it.”

Ever since his funeral, a ghost bike has sat on the corner as a reminder to drivers.

She said, unfortunately, it hasn’t made a difference.

“I know further down 38th, if you cross Cold Spring, you’ll see another bike like that with someone else’s name,” said Henderson.

With this new technology, she said she is hopeful for some permanent solutions.

“I just wish people would slow down and pay attention and realize that you are not the only person out here on the road,” said Henderson.

DPW said two more Miovision Scout devices will be coming in the near future as well.

They add that when this study is all wrapped up they’ll be looking at other areas across the city.

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