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Police seeking to slow down Lincoln Drive traffic

In an effort to reduce accidents, police are exploring ways to slow traffic entering Lincoln Drive from Kelly Drive.

In an effort to reduce accidents, police are exploring ways to slow traffic entering Lincoln Drive from Kelly Drive.

The current effort involves using cones to narrow traffic to one lane at different times of the day and during bad weather.

Capt. Khalid Syed, commander of the 92d Police District, which covers Fairmount Park, said today that speed is the main factor in most accidents at that East Falls location and that complaints of a slippery patch in the area are unfounded.

"They need to slow down," he said. "There is nothing wrong with the road surface."

Sometimes, he said, he has used a marked Jeep with flashers on to slow down the traffic.

"The proper speed limit is 20 to 25 m.p.h.," he said. "We use different techniques on different days, depending on the weather, the personnel I have, what's going on in the city, and what other areas are blocked off."

In a recent meeting with The Inquirer's editorial board, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, who lives in West Mount Airy, complained about speeders on Lincoln Drive, which winds through the park into the residential neighborhood.

Syed said his efforts to slow down traffic in the park section of the drive began after he took over command of the district 18 months ago.