Dear Eleanore Turkington:
I have a question that has been bothering me ever since I moved to West Haven in 2021.
When you drive down Benham Hill Road to the “end” (the corner of Bailey Middle School) you reach a stop sign as you might expect. However, the traffic to your left and to your right, driving on Morgan Lane do NOT have a stop sign from either direction, thus these folks can drive fast past you inching up past your Stop sign and fast past the school. Why is that?
Wouldn’t it make more sense to have stop signs there to make a three-way intersection? I can’t imagine no one has thought of this before, so there must be a reason there isn’t one. It’s so dangerous over there especially if you want to make a left-hand turn.
I can’t imagine how anyone is ever able to cross Morgan with those cars coming so fast in both directions.
More Sense
Dear More Sense:
Gripe Vine has been very fortunate lately to receive prompt direct responses from the Traffic Department at the West Haven Police Department.
A reply from Sergeant Charles Young#168 of the West Haven Police Department provided an improved safety measure at Morgan Lane.
According to Sergeant Young, “In general, a stop sign is not used to control speed on roadways. The main purpose of a stop sign is to allow drivers to determine who should yield the right of way at a roadway intersection.
The area described already has a safety zone/crosswalks and signs on either side with flashing lights, indicating schools ahead and a speed of 25MPH. The traffic unit will be putting our speed trailer at this area in the near future to obtain data relating to the alleged speeding on this stretch of roadway “
Dear Eleanore Turkington:
Why is there only one open door to get into City Hall and why are there two security guards sitting there doing nothing? What is the purpose of them sitting there?
SHW
Dear SHW:
I sent your request to the mayors office twice and have not received a reply yet. As soon as I do, you’ll read it in Gripe Vine.
Coming up…a request from readers as to why there is no Disc Jockey or music and dancing on the deck?
You can send your gripes, comments and issues to gripevineatwh@yahoo.com Please be sure to include your name, address and phone number kept in strict confidence with me. If you would like to mail your issues to Gripe Vine, mail them to Gripe Vine c/o West Haven Voice, 840 Boston Post Road, West Haven 06516. You can also submit through our online form.
Someone needs to correct the WHPD Sgt. interpretation of a STOP SIGN…..it is just that STOP until you can safely proceed.
In proceeding from a STOP SIGN, the safe practice of cars coming to a STOP equally, the car on the left of a car to its right must yield to entering safe passage.
Furthermore 25 mph in a school zone is INSANE…..every State I’ve passed through SCHOOL ZONES has very strictly enforced speeds of 15 mph.
The braking distance of 25 mph compared to 15 mph is quite significant is stopping distance to NOT hit a child that has entered the road.