Local Resident Wants To Nominate Court Street & 3rd Place For Light Or Traffic Camera

Intersection of 3rd Place and Court Street.
Cars moving right into the crosswalk before turning onto Court Street

As part of his constituent outreach, State Senator Squadron has invited local residents to point out dangerous traffic intersections to his office. Carroll Gardener and friend Bruce McD, is taking him at his word. He just sent off a letter to the senator, nominating the intersection of Court Street and 3rd Place as one worthy of a traffic light or camera.


Read Bruce's letter below:

An intersection I'd like to nominate for a light or a traffic camera: Court St. & 3rd Place

Dear Senator Squadron: Your latest newsletter asked for input on unsafe intersections, so I wanted to point out one in Carroll Gardens that I think is a tragedy waiting to happen.

On Court Street and 3rd Place, eastbound traffic on 3rd hits a stop sign at Court before continuing onto a dead end where the viaduct terminates the street. Nearly 100% of this traffic makes a right turn onto Court, but about 90% of said traffic blows right past the stop sign, into the crosswalk (without much regard for whether pedestrians are approaching--or even IN--the crosswalk), and then onto Court. I've nearly been clipped by inattentive drivers at that crosswalk numerous times, and I've seen children, pets, and adults all encounter near-misses with drivers barreling straight through.

Since traffic from 3rd is blinded to oncoming Court Street traffic, it is currently necessary for vehicles to enter the crosswalk in order to safely make the turn, but the vast majority of people do a "rolling stop" (an oxymoron, if ever there was one) rather than a full stop, and are only looking to their left at oncoming traffic, ignorant to potential sidewalk traffic entering the crosswalk from the right. Sometimes, while enjoying a drink at the Abilene sidewalk cafe on the corner, I count the number of cars coming to a full stop AT the stop sign: the number is ridiculously close to zero.

If a traffic light isn't an option, I strongly urge you to push for a traffic camera there to ticket these scofflaw drivers who endanger the foot traffic of our community. Maybe receiving a ticket or two will make them actually follow the traffic laws and come to a full stop before making their turn.

Thanks much for your time and consideration!

Cheers, Bruce McD

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