Police said the driver lost control of his BMW, hit a downed guardrail and flipped into the creek below. Firefighters extricated him from the vehicle and rushed him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A tow truck later pulled the car from the creek.
"It is a little scary sometimes, people treat it like a raceway," said Sam Lifson-Neubardt of West Mount Airy.
Residents said the stretch of road has long been known for dangerous crashes.
"I've talked to a number of neighbors on Lincoln Drive who are used to waking up in the middle of the night hearing crashes or seeing a car in their lawn when they wake up. It's unfortunate," Lifson-Neubardt said.
Members of the group, West Mount Airy Neighbors, said they've pushed for changes for years. They credit the city with making some improvements on nearby roads, but they said the area where Sunday's fatal crash occurred has had a flattened guardrail from previous collisions.
"I wish I was surprised. It's unfortunate. It's horrible. I think every traffic injury is preventable. It's a policy failure," Lifson-Neubardt said.
Driving past the scene on Monday, traffic cones marked the spot where the crash had happened.
"We worked hard with the streets department to try to fix these hotspots when we see them, but there's only so much they can do with the budget and staff they have," he said.
Lifson-Neubardt said neighbors have been teaming up to identify problem areas near schools, day cares, senior housing and supermarkets. He said speeding and aggressive driving continue to put people at risk.
"It's a big thoroughfare through the neighborhood, people commuting from counties go through all the time, some people treat it as a way to shave off 30 seconds from their commute, even if it's putting someone else's life in danger," he said.
He also pointed to more recent upgrades meant to slow traffic.
"They've put in some speed bumps lately and some attempts to make it safer for pedestrians that are accessing the Wissahickon and drivers that are using that road as well. I think it shows that speed is what kills, what makes things more dangerous," he said.
The Philadelphia Streets Department said Monday it is reviewing the area.
"We are aware of the recent crash on Cresheim Valley Road. The Streets Department's top priority is public safety. As part of that commitment to public safety, we are conducting a thorough assessment of the guardrail on Cresheim Valley Road," the department said in a statement.
The department said other work underway or recently completed in the area includes speed slots finished on Lincoln Drive from West Allens Lane to Wayne Avenue, as well as future signal upgrades planned along the same stretch.
Neighbors hope continued collaboration with the city, the state and PennDOT will lead to long-term fixes.
"We're hoping to keep working with the city in the state, with PennDOT, to roll out more improvements for driver safety and just around people to slow down and look out for kids that are on the streets here too. It's not worth it to risk someone else's life,"
Lifson-Neubardt said, "Slow down, please, speed kills."
The cause of Sunday's crash remains under investigation.