Aurora seeks drag racing deterrent

A few rings of drag racers have found a course on an industrial street on Aurora’s east side, but Aurora police and a city council committee are exploring ways to keep the speedsters away.

Police have received about three reports a month of drag racers using Corporate Boulevard west of Church Road as a raceway during the past year and a half, Cmdr. Kristen Ziman said. The culprits have been mainly young adults from outside the Aurora area.

“While conducting after-hour business checks and patrolling the business parks, our officers discovered the vehicles participating in drag racing,” she said.

Frequent patrols of Corporate Boulevard largely have kept the drag racers at bay, but Ziman said police and the city council’s government operations committee decided to brainstorm a permanent solution that doesn’t involve constantly sending personnel to the area.

“We’ve actually had really good success with enforcement and officers on routine patrols,” Ziman said. “It’s become a nuisance, not necessarily a problem.”

The government operations committee discussed drag racing deterrents earlier this month and proposed installing security cameras in the area or adding speed bumps, said Alderman Abby Schuler, whose ward includes the area.

Ziman said police favor adding speed bumps to the stretch of road. Police also have issued citations in some cases.

Instances of drag racing on Corporate Boulevard have proved sporadic, Schuler said, as police often go several months without observing dueling vehicles or receiving complaints.

“This is the first time I’ve ever heard about it,” Schuler said. “It never has crossed my desk as a problem in my area.”

The city council’s government operations committee will again discuss suggestions for decreasing drag racing at its Tuesday, July 26 meeting, Schuler said.