Spurred by neighborhood concerns about speeding cars, Palo Alto officials are considering installing a four-way stop at the intersection of Hamilton Avenue and Newell Road in Crescent Park.
The city has been fielding complaints in recent months from residents near the city's East Palo Alto border about the increase in traffic in the area around Edgewood Drive and Newell Road, a problem that some feel will be exacerbated when the city proceeds with a reconstruction and expansion of the Newell Road bridge. On Thursday night, March 7, the city discussed possible traffic-calming measures in the area at a community meeting, said Palo Alto's Chief Transportation Official Jaime Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said the city presented a menu of possible solutions, including speed tables, improved crosswalks and feedback signs that display the speed at which vehicles are traveling. The city also presented the option of bringing new stop signs to the intersection of Hamilton and Newell -- a proposal that earned support from a group of about 10 residents who attended the meeting. Under the current configuration, Hamilton has stop signs, while Newell does not.
Given the feedback, Rodriguez said the city would further explore the idea of adding stop signs to Newell, which he said is used by about 3,000 cars per day, a fairly typical volume. The next step will include going door-to-door and talking to residents near sites where the signs could be placed.
Rodriguez said that while the city doesn't typically install four-way stops as a traffic-calming measure, it makes some sense in this case because of the volume of cars, the character of the neighborhood and the fact that children use the street to reach Duveneck Elementary School.
"There were concerns expressed about what to do to make sure this area is safe for crossing and to reduce vehicle speeds," Rodriguez said.
Comments
Crescent Park
on Mar 8, 2013 at 12:11 pm
on Mar 8, 2013 at 12:11 pm
The one that worked best for Downtown North was to have "no turn" signs during commuter hours. Can we put that on the bridge? It should be used for access, not for commuting.
Crescent Park
on Mar 8, 2013 at 12:19 pm
on Mar 8, 2013 at 12:19 pm
We need to reduce traffic speeds around all schools. It's really crazy out there some times. Not like the drivers don't know the schools are there; parents dropping off their kids are some of the craziest drivers.
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Mar 8, 2013 at 3:31 pm
on Mar 8, 2013 at 3:31 pm
There used to be a 4 way stop at Hamilton and Newell. It does help stop some of the speeding. Why did they change it in the first place???
Community Center
on Mar 8, 2013 at 10:10 pm
on Mar 8, 2013 at 10:10 pm
Why does it take this city so long to do the obvious? And please, no $xxx,xxx contracts for
more studies. Just put in the stop signs. I"d even help to dig the holes.
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Mar 9, 2013 at 8:53 am
on Mar 9, 2013 at 8:53 am
Please try to reduce the number of stop signs and start using some roundabouts. Please try to reduce the number of red lights and start using some roundabouts.
Please use some yield signs instead of all the stop signs.
I am tired of shifting gears after all the complete stops I must make around town. A yield sign is just as safe as a complete stop.
Yield signs work in the rest of the world and would work fine here.
another community
on Mar 9, 2013 at 10:42 am
on Mar 9, 2013 at 10:42 am
Roundabouts, bulb ours, narrower streets, mid block cross walls with traffic islands. All will work and just slowing down in your car and your hectic life.
Duveneck/St. Francis
on Mar 9, 2013 at 11:41 am
on Mar 9, 2013 at 11:41 am
Driver of stick shift - 4 way stops require drivers (and bikes) to stop and take turns. Yield signs require drivers to slow down, which around here would result in playing chicken. As it is, the red light at Newell and Embarcadero regularly has cars going thru the red light as it turns from yellow, sometimes as many as 3 or 4 (on Embarcadero, not Newell).
Palo Verde
on Mar 9, 2013 at 12:38 pm
on Mar 9, 2013 at 12:38 pm
95% of the time the four-way stops I encounter have no other traffic. Too bad there can't be some way to just make them enforced only during rush hour, or only when other traffic is present. Oh, I should say I'm on a bicycle, which requires even more effort than a stick shift.
East Palo Alto
on Mar 9, 2013 at 10:16 pm
on Mar 9, 2013 at 10:16 pm
In this latest slew of reports about speeders I read constant intimations that the speeders are EPA residents. Why is The Weekly participating in this bias w/out facts? When will The Weekly or the City do research to come up w/usable data points? As one who drives that corridor all times of day, this is who I see speeding:
-Tradespeople driving thei large vehicles w/one hand, the other glued to their cell phone. They're lazy drivers w/divided attention who frequently run stop signs.
- Residents of the immediate area in a hurry, whose attitude seems to be that they can speed in their own backyards.
- A lot of unknown residents going from Point A to B & for whatever reason, as is their right (except for speeding) are using Newell then it's side streets.
-Residents that I'm guessing are from EPA, as they go over the bridge.
another community
on Mar 10, 2013 at 12:00 pm
on Mar 10, 2013 at 12:00 pm
Roundabouts with yield signs are best for bikes. You have to yield for those in the circle. If you set the crosswalk father away on jump with islands with a slight curve. You will have to slow down or else. Like damage your brakes, uncomfortable ride when driving to fast.