Deskripsyon
I have seen at least 3 rear-end accidents in front of my store on the 800 block of E. Locust, traveling west just before the stoplight at Fratney. Either people can't see the light, don't know it's there, or simply don't pay attention. When traffic slows or stops before that intersection - POW ! People get rear ended.
Two of the recent accidents were back to back, one day after the other, then another the next week.
There was another near Holton the other day where the 2nd car ended up ON TOP of the first car !
I don't know how to solve this really, aside from widening the street so that it's 4 lanes from the bridge all the way to Hopkins, but that won't happen, nor would I want it to.
The speed limit is already 25, though no one realizes it and everyone goes 30+. Although I don't think speed is the problem as much as inattentive driving, and people not expecting traffic to stop at a minor intersection.
If they took out the light at Fratney, it would probably just move the accidents closer to Holton, and result in more speeding on Locust.
Warning signs would probably not be noticed or ignored. A flashing yellow light with a sign might help.
I think the only solution that would really work would be to replace the light at Fratney with a larger, more visible light - the kind that hang over the intersection.
One of the accidents the other week, the car hopped the curb. They didn't get too far - the right wheel was only about a foot over the curb.
There are a lot of pedestrians on Locust - including kids and the stores on this block are pretty close to the street. How long before a car hits someone on the sidewalk, or crashes into a storefront trying to avoid an accident ?
I doubt they'll replace the stoplight, but we at least need a "slow - stop ahead" sign or something.
12 Komentos
MaxTech (Panauhin)
Sorry I should have re-read and edited that before clicking submit - it's kind of rambling. However, I think people get the idea. Also, that first paragraph, I meant to say I've seen 3 accidents in less than a month. Basically, about once a week - sometimes more !
Unless you are on this block every day, I don't think people realize how dangerous this is. Something needs to be done.
Thanks
Display Name Blocked (90) (Rehistradong User)
I'm not surprised to hear that, but I've never seen accidents there. You can get detailed traffic accident data from COMPASS and see if it really does cluster up at the light. I've always wondered why that light is there at all--it is an odd way to "calm" traffic, isn't it?
If Locust ever became a commercial strip with success on the scale of Brady St. you would have pedestrians getting hit too.
Locust in Riverwest is just a major and apparently inoperable design and business failure, a choke point caught between the I-43 exit and the Locust St. bridge/East Side.
To make it work as the car-focused connector it is, it needs to be widened with adequate parking for the businesses to attract car-bound customers.
Alternatively and far more impossible you could just disconnect Locust from Holton to Humboldt and push the traffic to North and Capitol, trying to revitalize Holton in the process. Locust from Holton to Humboldt could become a one-way street or a pedestrian-only street with a trolley or other rail transit connecting it to other areas, but it would need destinations sufficient to draw people to it.
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Rehistradong User)
Thanks for reporting this. Sounds like a pretty serious situation!
What's the source of the COMPASS data, Dan - is that a web site?
MaxTech (Panauhin)
Add another one this morning. I didn't see/hear it, but my wife did. Right out in front of the store on Locust, approaching the stoplight at Fratney, as usual.
It seems to especially be an issue in inclement weather, and/or when the pavement is wet. There's just not enough time to stop when you add everything up - narrow street, not expecting the stoplight / inattentiveness, stop & go traffic, rush hour, poor visibility (of the stoplight), etc.
In the scheme of things, I'm sure the city doesn't find this a top priority, and most of the accidents probably go unreported, making it seem like even less of a problem. Based just on the inconvenience of tying up traffic, it may not seem that serious, but with the frequency this happens, it's only a matter of time before there's a major accident and/or someone get's badly hurt (imagine a car swerving into the oncoming lane, or onto the sidewalk to avoid rear-ending someone).
This is going to get interesting when it starts snowing.
MaxTech (Panauhin)
The Other Brother (Panauhin)
MaxTech (Panauhin)
I generally agree with you, and I know 4 lanes is out of the question (I believe I said that in my original post). My worry is when someone jumps the curb trying to avoid an accident, and hits a pedestrian or plows through my storefront (or someone elses). Also, keep in mind - maybe YOU pay attention and go the speed limit, but that doesn't mean the car in front or behind you will - so it IS and issue for everyone.
On the bright side, I haven't seen an accident there in a while now, even with the winter weather. I still think it's an area of concern, but maybe these things just happen in clusters.
Display Name Blocked (90) (Rehistradong User)
COMPASS is one of the ArcGIS applications the City of Milwaukee has set up with a number of data layers exposed to the public:
http://www.milwaukee.gov/compass
Public Applications:
http://www.milwaukee.gov/PublicApplications13176.htm
Go to "Community Mapping." There is a layer for traffic accidents.
Steve (Panauhin)
Display Name Blocked (90) (Rehistradong User)
Heidi (Panauhin)
Glad I found this. I was in a hit-and-run accident at that exact intersection back in June. I was stopped at the light heading eastbound on Locust, two cars in front of me and one behind, when a car came from behind, slammed into the car behind me which caused my car to hit the car in front of me. My car was totaled from that accident.
I agree that it is not the safest intersection, but there's not much to fix it. I'd definitely say that most of the accidents are caused by inattentive drivers; no one really expects there to be a stoplight there, though it does turn red frequently enough that people SHOULD know its there. Ever since my accident, I've sort of feared that it'll happen again, or that someone will hit me while I'm trying to turn at Bremen.
People just drive stupid between UWM and 43 :(
Erin Lipski (Rehistradong User)
this entire stretch of street needs help as far as traffic lights are concerned!! the Locust/Holton intersection and the Locust/MLK intersections see so many accidents it's stupifying!! We NEED to get green arrows on these traffic lights immediately, far too many people are getting hurt!
Milwaukee Transportation Engineering Department:
2711 W. Wells St., 3rd Flr.
Milwaukee, WI 53208
Phone: (414) 278-5096