August 1, 2005
Residents in one city neighborhood are upset about a change in their neighborhood's traffic patterns. They took their concerns to City Council tonight.
"We don't understand these barricades because they get in the way and they are stopping people from going home," said resident Albert Brown.
Upset residents took their complaints to City Hall. The problem they say, the city installed markers diverting traffic to what was formerly a four way stop, without prior notice. The markers completely prevent traffic from taking two of the three possible directions in the stop.
The traffic markings in question divert cars from North Berkshire Road and Cedar Hill Road. Residents in this neighborhood say it seems to make no sense.
"It seems so ridiculous that this kind of thing should be happening," said resident Dale Chadwick.
"This does not address the problem. It causes an additional problem," said resident Inge Hull.
The barriers were installed last month to prevent people from cutting through this residential area as development near Route 29 grows. Neighbors say they were concerned because people used to speed down the streets. Now, they are worried for new reasons.
"It's an anticipated problem that nobody knows for sure will happen," said resident William Gentry.
"Those of us who live outside of the city and are owners [are] inconvenienced by having to go bypass and go someplace else," said Chadwick.
In the end, Inge Hull would just like to see both sides come up with some kind of compromise.
"We hope that this meeting produces some rethinking [and] some positive results. It remains to be seen whether it does or doesn't," she said.
During tonight's meeting, the mayor said that obviously this was a problem that the council needs to address. He did not however make any formal timetable.
