STOP Signs, Rabbits and Hot Potatoes
We were back at City Hall this past Thursday with Brian Dempsey’s Traffic and Transit Committee meeting to be updated on our request for a four way STOP sign at the intersection of Bradford and Florence.
In a hot potato move, the "T ‘n T" Committee has kicked our STOP sign request over to the City Council for consideration without any sort of recommendation–which to us sounds like a pocket veto. At least we are in good company. According to Dempsey, STOP sign requests have been multiplying like rabbits (14 requests total) and all the requests are being "potato’ed" over to City Council.
Our issue, as we pointed out in our letter to Dempsey, Assistant City Manager Scott Pickup and Mayor Steve Otis signed by 40+ Bradford Park residents, is a safety issue. The committee keeps calling it a speed issue and this was never our point.
Pickup is working to get our request on to a City Council agenda for February or March.
One temporary win from Assistant Engineer Christopher Tallarini–the City will request one home on the corner of the intersection cut back its shrubs to increase the sight line for drivers. We should see the impact of this request in two to three weeks.
In a final response, sure to keep the hardiest STOP sign lobbyist away, Dempsey said if we come to another meeting he’ll draft us for his committee. STOP!
I am the mother of 3 sons and have lived on the corner of Bradford and Florence for 4 years now. When I am outside I consistently see cars racing down Bradford across Florence. Many of them just head down a few yards only to see that it is a dead end and turn back around. This is dangerous for us who spend time outside in the neighborhood with our children. We need some formal help with this problem before one of our children gets hurt.