As long as Pennington County's 24/7 Sobriety Program is located on Quincy Street, there will always be about 500 people coming through the neighborhood twice a day for court-mandated breath alcohol tests.

But after a meeting Thursday with a handful of neighbors, Pennington County Sheriff Don Holloway left with a list of practical suggestions to make the relationship better for everyone.

"Hopefully, I can do some things with signage, dust control, trash control," Holloway said. "There are a lot of people that are going to be coming and going no matter what I do, but I'll work at making it less intrusive."

Neighbors have been upset since March, when the program moved to a National American University building at 230 Quincy St.

The 24/7 program currently serves about 700 people, with about 500 of those people coming in for the twice-daily breath tests as a condition of probation, parole or bond. It is only open between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Since 2005, the program has kept thousands of people convicted of driving under the influence and other alcohol-related offenses sober and out of jail or prison.

Last week, the Rapid City Planning Commission decided the program could stay despite the safety and traffic concerns of neighbors and city staff.

At Thursday's meeting, which was attended by more city and county officials than residents, neighbors said the biggest issue is the amount of traffic.

The 24/7 program was previously located with City/County Alcohol and Drug Programs on La Crosse Street.

"There was a lot of traffic on La Crosse Street, but that was a business area," Chuck Ludington said. "It's in the wrong location, and there's too much traffic volume. That's the whole nutshell right there."

But Ludington, who lives on Quincy Street, also offered ways to improve the situation. He'd like to see the sheriff's office pick up trash around the building, re-install the enter and exit signs in the parking lot and have the city install a yield or stop sign at the intersection of Quincy and Third streets.

"These people come through - locals do too - they don't stop. They don't yield. They come right on through," Ludington said.

Holloway and 24/7 program supervisor Tessia Johnston said they've already started working with city traffic engineers, ordered the parking lot signs and identified the litter problem.

Program staff has also compiled a handout for participants on how to be good neighbors, Holloway said.

Suggestions include slowing down, parking courteously, turning down music and being respectful of neighbors.

The new client orientation includes the parking lot rules, Johnston said, and her staff makes a point of pulling aside participants that are disrespecting the neighborhood.

Holloway reiterated that the Quincy Street location was never intended to be permanent. He'd like to combine the 24/7 program with the inmate work-release center when that project moves forward.

But he stopped short of giving a time frame, something resident Natalie Neumann would like to hear.

"That's the big picture thing we need to know," Neumann said. "As homeowners, we need to know what's going on down the road."

Contact Emilie Rusch at 394-8453 or emilie.rusch@rapidcityjournal.com.