"Lives could have been saved:" Is speed limit too fast on Hwy. 164?



RICHFIELD (WITI) -- Too many tragic accidents on Highway 164 have some people calling for a lower speed limit.

To say Jeff Gonyo knows highway 164 well is a bit of an understatement.

"This is my home right here, I grew up here, I'm about 100 feet from the road," said Gonyo.

The highway is something Gonyo says he's incredibly passionate about. He's lived beside it for more than 48 years and even keeps a scrapbook of sorts dedicated to it; though it's not filled with happy memories.

"I have photographs some of these accidents just up the road here right up about two houses up this accident occurred in the 55 mile an hour zone right here right next to the 55 mile an hour sign and it killed the driver of the van," said Gonyo.

Gonyo has meticulously cataloged accident after accident that has happened on the highway. Friday's crash that killed a mother and father of five young children was just the latest in a string of deaths in recent years.

"Since 2008 we've had eight fatalities on this roadway that I know of," said Gonyo.

Gonyo says he and others would like to see the speed limit drop to 45 mph. David Radermacher says he spent 22 years on the Washington County Board.

"The county board supported a uniform 45 mile an hour speed limit on here, we had a resolution that passed by the county board," said Radermacher.

FOX6 has reached out to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for a comment, but our calls have not yet been returned.