Editor,
This is in response to the “Is stop sign ‘unwarranted’? article in the December 9 issue of CIC. The neighbors of the Auman subdivision have a valid point. At peak hours, it would be extremely difficult to pull off of Auman Drive onto 126th Street if there was no stop sign.
I agree and sympathize with their concern. While this issue is being tabled, I’d like to add one more thing to the mix. For the people who live on 126thStreet between Rangeline Road and Keystone Parkway, we have an even bigger issue. Forget about trying to safely get out of our subdivision, we’d just like to get out of our driveways. For those of us who live on this strip of 126th Street, it is at least a twice-a-day hazard. During the peak hours in the morning and again in the evening, it’s nearly impossible. The traffic backs up going West in the morning, and then going East in the afternoon. People never complained about waiting in line at the stop sign until the roundabout was built at Keystone, making 126th Street a super speedway.
Therefore, the solution the roundabout might have provided caused a problem no one had thought of due to a lack of risk analysis. More people found it convenient to use 126th Street after that because it was quicker. That led to more traffic and everyone complaining to city hall about having to stop at the stop sign. If this is such a hassle today, I don’t understand why these people don’t find a quicker, alternate route.
Let’s face it, that’s not the only roundabout that goes over Keystone. The stop sign was removed once before, and no one obeyed the speed limit. Those of us who live on 126th Street literally have to take a chance each time we need to get out of our driveways.
So what’s the solution? Shuttling people in and out of City Center is more important than safety, I guess. I think the city engineers need to rethink this one. We’re obviously keeping the roundabout, so what do we do now? Removing the stop sign could also add more traffic at higher speeds once everyone knows the route is even quicker.
Those of us on 126thStreet will still be stuck trying to get out of our driveways, but at least the people on Auman Drive will be able to get to 126th Street. I say let the stop sign stand where it is, and work towards a better solution for everyone. Today, our homes are nearly unsellable due to this traffic.
John Smith