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Traffic light need at 14th Street and 1st Avenue South

EDITOR:

One would think, after roughly 25 years, the city of Escanaba would remedy an issue that has caused countless people to be injured and/or without a vehicle, sometimes finding themselves in a financial burden as a result, thanks to Michigan’s auto insurance laws.

Since the city took out the lights at 10th and 14th on 1st Avenue South, and replaced them with stop signs, accidents have been a fairly regular occurrence at 14th.

For years the stop signs were not readily visible until the last moment in either direction on 1st, due to positioning and trees. These days it’s mostly westbound traffic that still has issues, as that sign is still not visible.

Growing up right there, it was a regular thing to see and Including myself as a young teen riding my bike up 14th heading home, only to have two vehicles collide at 30 mph 20 feet from me. My father’s house is half way up 1st Avenue South from the intersection, but has still had a vehicle from an accident stop on his porch steps. Others come to a rolling stop almost the same distance away from the intersection in the road.

I know it’s not the only questionable intersection in town. It is, however, one of the highest ranking for avoidable accidents.

When is the city going to finally step up and correct this issue that they caused? Either start making stop signs more visible, or put up flashing reds above the intersections where stop signs are not readily visible without serious corrective action. Trees and parked vehicles are the largest concern there.

I’ld blame distracted driving these days if I didn’t know any better, but I’ve witnessed this over and over for decades.

Stephen Ness

Escanaba

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