lxxxii
2.7.08
published on 02/01/07
Letters to the Editor | Removal of stoplight makes Raymond unsafe
When I returned to campus this semester, I noticed something missing—the stoplight that helped control both pedestrian and vehicular traffic at the intersection of Raymond Avenue and the Town House path. As both a resident of the THs who walks to and from campus and a driver who drives past this intersection, the removal of this stoplight concerns me. While a large sign informing drivers that yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks is N.Y. State law, and another yellow pedestrian crossing sign now precedes this crosswalk, it has been my experience over the past three weeks that very few cars actually follow these signs. In one instance, a car traveling in the northbound lane honked at me as I started to cross the second half of the crosswalk and sped by me. While some drivers do yield, incidents like this make me increasingly scared to cross the street.
As a driver, it is easy to see why many drivers do not stop. The intersection at the THs, unlike those at the College Avenue and Main Gate crosswalks, is not in the middle of a roundabout. It is easy to speed through without realizing that you need to slow down and yield. Additionally, unless you are deliberately looking for people waiting to cross, it is difficult to see people at either side of the road before you are already in the crosswalk.
The Miscellany News article “Raymond Avenue construction to improve street safety” in the 9.08.06 issue reported that the changes to Raymond Avenue pedestrian safety was cited as one of the main concerns of the roundabout project. Additionally, there was no mention of streetlight removal in this article or in any other release regarding the construction sent to students. I cannot see how removing a stoplight, which gave a direct signal to oncoming traffic to stop for pedestrians if they pushed the crossing button, promotes pedestrian safety.
I have no way of knowing the motivations behind the stoplight removal, nor can I predict if more accidents and greater headaches will actually be caused by its elimination. I can say, though, that I miss the security of having a clear signal when cars will be stopping and I can safely walk.
—Deborah Temkin ’07
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Alumnae/i posters are strongly encouraged to include their class year with their name. The maximum length for comments is approximately 100 words; longer responses should be submitted as letters to the editor to misc@vassar.edu. More information about our letters policy can be found on our Policies page.
