Submitted by Joseph Williamson
Something needs to change about the Havemeyer Place – Arch Street intersection. The misalignment of the cross streets creates unusually wide crosswalks, long crossing times, and a dangerous and confusing experience for pedestrians and drivers alike.
So why are traffic lights not being proposed for this intersection?
Traffic lights on Greenwich Avenue have long been an unthinkable and unmentionable topic, out of fear that they would disrupt the historic integrity of the street and obscure the iconic view of Long Island Sound. But traffic lights need not hang in the middle of the intersection; they could be antique-style posts that blend with the architecture of the surrounding historic district. Lights would bring traffic to a complete stop, allowing pedestrians to safely and confidently cross in sufficient time. They would also eliminate confusing “turn-taking” between three directions of traffic by clearly indicating right-of-way. In addition to improving pedestrian safety, appropriately-styled traffic lights would be less disruptive to the historic integrity of the street than the proposed realignment of the intersection.
As a resident of Central Greenwich, I regularly walk and drive on Greenwich Avenue and its cross streets. The completed bump-outs are attractive and reduce crossing time, but they do not eliminate the confusion between multiple directions of pedestrians and drivers about who has right of way, something that becomes all the more confusing and dangerous during peak hours.
Traffic lights are an easy solution to this problem, and require minimal alterations to the street we all love. I hope the unthinkable will be considered as an option.