Very often there was an official stop sign along the crossword, north of the Carriage Lane, for southbound drivers. However, Newton roads twist and turn, and often twist and turn while going downhill. Add to that overhanging branches from large trees nearby, and we have a dangerous situation.
See a few of these dangerous situations and the solutions we presented to the City. These required no new Traffic Council dockets, because stops were already in the TPR.
Morseland
Morseland southbound curves around. Between the curve and the tree, drivers simply could not see the stop sign until they were at the corner, and by then it was often too late to stop for runners and pedestrians coming west from the Carriage Lane.
We identified both the problem and a simple and inexpensive solution.
Valentine
Valentine was particularly challenging. At first, Valentine did not even have a stop sign there. (Bill Paille is responsible for the DO NOT BLOCK THE BOX paint.) To get an initial stop sign, we had to go to Traffic Council. Councilors Norton and Downs docketed this item.
Traffic Council approved the stop sign at that intersection. In that discussion, we identified the issues with the heavily curving road accompanied by a sharp downhill. We suggested a “Stop Ahead” sign up the hill, as you see in the image below, in addition to the stop sign at the corner.
Visibility problems remained, however, as many drivers were contractors coming from West Newton who did not know the neighborhood and weren’t aware that there were pedestrians to the right at the road below, and also because many drivers thought the stop sign was a reference to the beyond, the one at the corner of Valentine and Commonwealth Avenue.
Thus, we suggested a stop sign on the left. Our Transportation Division outdid us, and placed a really large and visible stop sign on the left.
Compliance is now much much higher than it was before. One contractor in a large van recommended the stop sign to the right be placed lower on the pole, since it’s had to see beneath the tree leaves. Getting feedback from people driving, at the site, asking them the question directly, “What would help you here?” is something the City needs to be doing more of.
