Poll: Ready for Stop Signs at Bala & Union?
The existing traffic signal will become a four-way flashing red light, the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners decided Wednesday night.
Traffic control at the intersection of Bala and Union avenues will switch from a normal traffic signal to stop signs and a four-way red light, the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners decided Wednesday night.
Police Superintendent Michael McGrath recommended the move to the board, saying a traffic study, done in conjunction with the planned streetscape improvements on Bala Avenue, showed that traffic volumes did not merit a full traffic signal.
All present board members voted in favor of the four-way stop. No construction timeline was attached to the vote. McGrath's memo is attached to this article.
Patch wants to know: Do you like this change? Or do you prefer a traffic signal? Vote in the poll on this article and elaborate in our comments section below.
Selma Davis
7:19 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
Hooray for the Stop Signs. Traffic on Bala Avenue, driving down the hill from Montgomery, see a green light and hit the accelerator, not slowing down at all until halfway to City Avenue. The same pattern is true with traffic coming down the Union Avenue hill. The speeders on Bala Avenue drive us residents crazy, especially with the Bala Avenue Playground and the danger to the playground goers It's about time!.
Sandy Grimwade
9:15 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
I agree that the traffic light has to go, but why have a flashing red light at all? 4-way stop signs work well elsewhere.
" Marcky " Marc .
2:12 am on Saturday, July 28, 2012
I have been living near that intersection long enough that I can remember when all there was, was a stop sign. The traffic light has been there for years and yes it is a nuisance, though it's funny it only took the Board all these years to find that out. As long as we're on the topic, there were some nice things at that corner of Bala & Union Avenues. On one corner for years was the venerable old Arcadia Cleaners. Now The Bala Cleaners. On the other corner was The Bala Elementary School. For years and years the Principal was Miss Evelyn Walker. She was old then and a couple of years ago I heard that she was still alive ! She had to be over a hundred years of age if that was true. All that stands there now from that is the gym portion, which was an addition to the old building anyway. Once in a while I'll see a lot of people go in there, though I don't think it's a regular gym where you go to work out, so I'm not too sure what they're doing in there And the adjacent old concrete school playground is now some sort of a parking lot. On the other corner was one of the newer buildings, an architect's office. I believe that is now a dental office. And on the last corner was a wonderful old Texaco Gasoline and Service Station ! Just call me the neighborhood dinosaur .
Mildred Roberts
6:02 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
If you're the neighborhood dinosaur, then you remember when a majority of the LMPD Officers were LMHS grads. As kids. when we got nabbed for something, they called our parents and turned us over to our fathers, who they knew would kick our butts. Those were the good old days...before the cowboys took over.
" Marcky " Marc .
3:06 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Yes Mildred I do recall. When I was a little boy myself and a couple of friends took off on exploring the " forest " which used to be at the corner of Saint Asaph's and Conshohocken State Roads. Now it's The Fairmount Condominiums. After we got bored with that, we walked up to the Cynwyd Train Station and ran all around the tracks and the little house there where you used to be able to go into and purchase train tickets. Somewhere along the way somebody must have called the police about kids running all around there because a policeman came, picked me up and took me back home to my parents ! Yes Mildred you're correct, the L.M. Police were much nicer then. And I am a graduate of Lower Merion High School as well (the old, original one). And thanks for referring to me as the dinosaur. I like the ring of it !
jeff dobkin
10:34 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
Keep the lights.
In a four way stop, everyone loses: everyone stops every time. What a wast of time and what a waste of energy (gas). Every time you stop it costs everyone 1 20th of a gallon of gas. So 20 stops = 1 gallon. 20 cars stopping at a stop sign = 1 gallon of wasted gas.
All the superfluous stop signs around our township - are placed by the incompetent: like the idiot who placed a stop sign in the middle of where a private road (Melrose) tees into Highland Ave. Or the stop sign on Bala Ave at where the one block of Pembrook tees into it. Brilliant!
These stop signs are totally AGAINST the guidelines set forth by PennDot - and are not only wasting everyone's time, but they are the reason you are getting 12 miles per gallon instead of the 30 MPG the automakers promised you.
I'd favor stop signs on Union Ave only, and none on Bala ave.
" Marcky " Marc .
5:57 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Jeffrey I am quite familiar with the travesty of that stop sign at the corner of North Highland and Melrose Avenues. Not only is Melrose a ' private road ,' but on the other side of the road at that dead end is the driveway of that big white mansion which used to belong to Harry Silk of the late Sun - Ray Drug Store chain ! There is no reason on earth that a stop sign belongs at the intersection of a private road, and somebody's driveway. I believe the " incompetent " you are referring to who put it there was the former (Republican) State Representative, but (then) Township Commissioner, Lita Cohen. When that ridiculous stop sign was put up there I found out her address and wrote a letter to her expressing the same concerns regarding wasting gasoline, as you do above. She wrote back a silly letter giving false reasons for that stop sign, and then told me that she was unable to recognize me as a constituent ! Apparently what happened for real is that either the owner of that mansion with the driveway, and/or a resident of the adjoining private road had Miss Cohen in their pocket, and told her that they were inconvenienced by having to wait at the end of their driveway to pull out onto the road, and said that if a stop sign were to be put there then everybody on the road would have to stop, so they could get out of their driveway, without waiting for the three seconds to pull out, as they normally would do. What can I say Jeffrey, the arrogance of the rich .
" Marcky " Marc .
4:50 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
By the way Jeff the other ridiculous stop sign you make reference to at the " corner " of Bala Avenue and Pembroke Road is nothing more than a revenue generator for the Township, and a hassle for the motorists. As you say there is no good reason for a stop sign at the intersection, it's not even a full intersection and once again the stop sign is at the end of somebody's driveway on one side of the street. But on nice sunny days, not rainy days or other days with inclement weather when the police would actually have to get out of the patrol car, you will generally see a police car sitting back on Pembroke Road, just far enough away back that you cannot see it immediately, watching that you come to a full stop at that ridiculous stop sign. And Lord help you if you do not ! No tourists travel that route, only us locals, and that's what makes that stop sign so heinous. There used to be a time when the Township police pretty much left us residents alone to go about our business, and only annoyed the outsiders. But now they are doing it to their own people (us). Anyway that's the answer about your question regarding Pembroke Road .
Thomas Willliams
4:46 pm on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
I prefer current traffic lights to remain. Otherwise 4 way stop signs should be considered, not 4 way flashilng red lights which could be distracting to drivers and annoying to nearby neighbors. I cannot recall any other intersection in Lower Merion with 4 way flashing red lights. By the way, what is the cost to change to the flashing red lights? I am much more interested in seeing the project commence to update or replace the very dangerous nearby Union Ave. bridge that goes over the SEPTA tracks.
Thomas Williams (neighbor who can see these traffic lights changing from my 6th floor balcony)
bcrider
3:51 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
I agree with those who said keep the present traffic lights, because they provide a safe place for pedestrians to cross the street. As anyone who walks around here knows, crossing streets on foot in LM is a dangerous sport. I have to cross Rt 23 to walk to the Bala station and its a challenge with all the speeding traffic. People in cars don't even slow down when they see a pedestrian in the street.
bcrider
3:52 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
PS- don't our commissioners have more pressing traffic issues to solve than this one? LOL.