Description
This is a very dangerous intersection. I live at the end of Chestnut St. and it's not clear if crossing traffic has to stop here (there's a double arrow but no one considers it). Personally, I do stop b/c it's a T intersection, but 99% of cars don't. If you're coming from Water St. and going straight toward the dead end of Chestnut the cars crossing your path don't stop, and the cars behind you are very confused if you do. There is a serious chance of collision from the front or back.
5 Comments
Αναγνωρισμένο Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking (Registered User)
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Registered User)
JJ (Guest)
TrackCT (Registered User)
Yes, but what a driver "must" do or what the "rules of the road" are, are in fact very different from what they do. Driving on this road every day for years I have seen about 10 accidents personally and have seen about 25 near accidents because for whatever reason, it's unclear. And that's just what I've seen.
Drivers don't always obey the double yellow line, here or anywhere. Here, they make a split-second judgement about what they can get away with, and time after time some drivers going toward the dead-end either try to scoot in front of the opposite traffic "bearing left" in front of them or assume they will stop or yield (especially when the light on Water is red). Though a stop would be best, putting a "yield to crossing traffic" sign would be a good start.
One of the points of posting a sign anywhere is to clarify when there's confusion and danger of misinterpretation of what should be done. When that's the case, hoping that everyone has a complete understanding of the rules of the road don't suffice. They don't. And even when they do, sometimes they don't care.
JJ (Guest)
I think the preferable solution is place a yield sign where Franklin meets Chestnut (heading towards Water) repainting the double lines so that they head straight up Chestnut St, a solid white at the yield in the southbound lane, a no outlet/dead end for Chestnut at the fork and removal of the southbound stop sign at the Chestnut/Franklin intersection (because someone driving south on Chestnut would now have the right of way against the Franklin traffic).
Southbound on Franklin: Yield and lines make driver aware that they have to yield and are turning onto a new street. They need to wait for traffic (if any) to clear before proceeding. Due to volume from Water to Franklin, this shouldn't back up southbound Franklin much at all.
Northbound on Chestnut/Franklin: No more congestion, backup, last second harrowing turns into oncoming traffic when "continuing" up Chestnut, and seamless as now for going from Chestnut to Franklin
Southbound on Chestnut: No stop as you are continuing on the same round, with Franklin drivers on your left yielding.
Regardless to all this however, the stop sign from Chestnut heading South at the intersection with Franklin really should be a yield due to sight lines being more than ample and volume being minimal.