Each year, residents reach out to the board regarding the high speed of traffic on McLeod,
MaGrath and Roma, particularly at school start and end times. From observation, this involves
parents as much as teen drivers.
Over the years board members have had multiple communications with the principals of
Northern Heights Elementary School (NHES) and Squalicum High School (SQHS) regarding
this issue. Administration staff from both schools have assured us that they frequently remind
drivers to adhere to the posted speed limits. They also routinely include this information in their
newsletters at the start of the school year.
For our part, we have been in contact with the Whatcom County Sheriff's office, and in the
spring of 2022, their traffic engineering department set up a traffic count on McLeod Road
(between Tamarack and MaGrath), which also measured speed. After one month of recording
data they reported back to the board that only 4% of traffic exceeded 35 mph. The average speed
was 28 mph, and 85% of cars travelled at or below 32 mph. A radar speed sign was placed after
the traffic study was completed, and the department agreed to place our neighborhood on the list
for repeat counts at the start of the new school year. Of note, they report only one collision from
2017-2022, which resulted in property damage only.
Traffic calming and mitigation measures (such as the installation of speed bumps in the road(s))
were discussed with the County staff, but we were informed that they are not prioritized in
absence of collisions.
Over the years we have observed that there may certain times of the day and school year when
speeding cars are more noticeable. Northern Heights residents are encouraged to call the
principals of both NHES and SQHS with concerns regarding speeding.
NHES principal: Pam Poddle – 360-647-6820
SQHS principal: Miguel Perez – 360-676-6471