SPOKANE, Wash. — Neighbors near a South Hill intersection say a nearly $200,000 city traffic calming project has made their street more dangerous instead of safer as children return to school.
The city recently completed curb extensions at the intersection of Thurston Avenue and Pittsburg Street, just blocks west of Hamblen Elementary School, as part of its traffic calming efforts. However, residents say drivers are now cutting through the center of the redesigned intersection rather than slowing down.
“If anything, I think they almost went faster,” said Andrea Albinson, who walks along Thurston daily. “They sort of skirt the division line there and go in the middle and maybe break, but it’s not too effective. A stop sign would be good. Perhaps a crosswalk or something.”
The intersection has become a focal point for concerned neighbors who are keeping extra watch as students head to and from school. Signs urging drivers to slow down, put up by residents, dot the area. Some neighbors have even parked cars on the grass to avoid getting hit by speeding vehicles.
Residents say they simply wanted a stop sign at the intersection rather than the expensive redesign project. Multiple neighbors expressed frustration that the city’s investment hasn’t delivered the safety improvements they hoped to see.
The city said it chose to install bump-outs rather than stop signs because curb extensions are designed to shorten crossing distances for pedestrians and increase visibility at intersections.
City officials said stop signs are primarily used for assigning right of way rather than controlling speed.
Neighbors say they still want a stop sign, but until something changes, the area is on high alert looking out for kids trying to get to school.
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