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Citizen complaint of the day: Masshole in a rotary
By adamg on Sun, 10/24/2021 - 2:03pm
A disgusted citizen files a 311 complaint about a Masshole at the rotary where West Roxbury and VFW parkways meet in West Roxbury:
My daughter and I were once again almost hit while crossing the VFW Parkway on the side with the crosswalk because people cannot see the light in the rotary telling them to stop. In addition, the man who almost hit us was screaming obscenities at my seven-year-old. This intersection is incredibly dangerous to cross, and I would appreciate it if the city could do a study to determine a safer way to allow people to cross such a busy intersection.
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Comments
I'm sure this'll end up being
I'm sure this'll end up being an area where we pay some consultant half a million dollars before even considering doing anything about it -- but from a lay person's perspective, wouldn't this work so much better to eliminate the rotary, and make it a four-way intersection with slip roads? There's enough open space to make it work.
Anecdotally, the highest volume traffic through here seems to be the PM commute coming eastbound on VFW, turning right onto W.Rox going towards Holy Name, and every PM you have gridlock in the Centre St rotary.
A four-way intersection with a light would calm traffic and create as safer intersection (both vehicles + pedestrians), but the slip lane would still allow traffic to flow in a more consistent way, albeit at a slower rate than the current configuration -- and slowing down the rate of traffic entering W. Rox southbound might help lessen the Centre St. rotary gridlock at the same time.
Signaled intersections
Are statistically more dangerous. Most drivers just look at the light while ignoring their surroundings, usually speeding up to high speeds once it turns yellow. A better designed traffic circle with bulb-outs and raised crosswalks would likely be more efficient and safer.
Then again no amount of design eliminates perpetually angry and impatient drivers. One lives at the end of my quiet, dead end street. She bombs down the road at frightening speed, back and forth, all damn day. Quests for winning scratch tickets and precious treasures at the Christmas tree shops is apparently a frantic, stress filled job. If you're reading this, Tina, I hope you step in your dog's poo that I left for ya.
Maybe smear it on her door
Maybe smear it on her door handle.
Oh man
Can you imagine the fit that WR would throw if you tried to put raised sidewalks on their precious freeways (I mean parkways)? Karen and the kids in the Suburban are running late, can’t slow down for crosswalks and pedestrians!
“Karen”?
Oh, gotcha. You mean women drivers.
Easy ticket to close
This is a state rotary. DCR or MassDOT or whoever. I think part of the traffic light system is in Brookline.
DCR stuff should go to
[email protected]
I seldom get an acknowledgement or response but occasionally an issue is dealt with.
We don't have to care
We're the phone company.
DCR?
That poorly-designed interchange is as good as fixed, said nobody ever.
After all we get first hand
After all we get first hand first person view of the wreckless drivers this great commonwealth breeds! And the total lack of work done to prevent by the traffic cops and city planners.
If it wasn’t for community organizations like Boston cyclist Union I’m convinced nothing would get done to make our streets safer for people who
DONT DRIVE
They also make streets safer for people …
…. who drive. Many of whom don’t even realize this fact.
311 is good for potholes and
311 is good for potholes and burnt out streetlights. It’s not so good for things that require planning and public process.
Having a rotary
and a set of pedestrian traffic lights so close to each other leads to driver confusion. It probably makes sense to place the traffic lights further away from the rotary (further up the road) or eliminate the rotary altogether and create a non-rotary intersection with traffic and pedestrian lights.
My take
The West Roxbury Parkway crossing light is fairly safe, probably because of the positioning of the lights. The VFW Parkway lights, at least the outbound ones, are poorly positioned. I can totally see drivers blowing that light without even knowing it. There isn’t even a stop line.