Stop Signs May Save a Life

Neighbors communicated their concerns to the regarding the safety of children and drivers at the 4-way intersection of Kenilworth Road and Edgewood Road. At present there are 2 stop signs for traffic flowing East and West on Kenilworth but no stop signs for traffic flowing North and South on Edgewood. The neighbors are asking for two additional STOP signs to be erected on Edgewood, estimated to cost under $200, a small expense to insure the safety of our children.

Kenilworth to Westport to Hapgood or Monroe, is used a cut-though to Maple Ave in order to bypass the traffic lights at the intersections of Main Street and Route 140 and at West Main and Maple Avenue.

Road improvements to Kenilworth, the new traffic light at Lake Street and Route  140 and increased traffic combine to make the intersection dangerous for children and drivers. The danger is exacerbated during winter when snow-banks obscure drivers’ views, parents wait in their cars and sometimes, when there is too much snow, parents are forced to wait in the street with their children for the school buses.

I personally have requested the STOP signs be erected on two separate occasions. Each time there have been two reasons for rejecting the requests. “Studies” showed the intersection didn’t meet traffic volume requirements. And approving this request may generate more.

All that is needed to erect the STOP signs is for the Selectmen to vote “YES”, before we have a tragedy. 

Benjamin Tartaglia
Town Meeting Member, Precinct 6
19 Kenilworth Rd.