Small town of Brothers has big beef with speeders

Residents in the small eastern Deschutes County town of Brothers, population of about 90, are gathering signatures to submit to the Oregon Department of Transportation to lower the current speed limit of 55 mph through town.

Jerrie Hanna, who owns the Brothers Stage Stop with her sister, Dixie, said Tuesday all of the drivers on U.S. Highway 20 between Idaho and Bend don’t have any idea there is a school zone and post office.

Hanna said drivers speed up to 65 to 75 mph through the town.

“Proper signage that is all that is needed, that is all we ask for,” Hanna said.

Oregon Department of Transportation Region 4 spokesman Peter Murphy said they’re aware of the concerns in Brothers.

“We have heard from a lot of people about the speed change,” Murphy said.

Murphy said changing the speed limit is not as easy as some think.

“We need to do an investigation to find out what’s going on and then respond appropriately,” Murphy said.

Hanna said she will submit the list of signatures to ODOT and she hopes the speed issue will be addressed.