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| photo courtesy of Ruth Mondol |
AN UPDATE IS POSTED AT "ALBEMARLE ACTIVISM BRINGS SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS"
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The driver of the beige car in the photo above says he was driving across Albemarle Road at E. 2nd Street this afternoon when a car service driver who was speeding struck his car, crashing into the front corner on the driver's side.
Nobody was injured. The impact knocked the front bumper off the beige car and threw it down the road. The collision happened sometime before 2:30 p.m.
Today's collision shows that public safety on Albemarle Road and in the immediate vicinity continues to be a worrisome issue. People who walk, bike, and drive there have been waiting for the Department of Transportation to eliminate at least some of the danger.
Crash statistics for 2012 for the five blocks between Ocean Parkway and McDonald Avenue show fifteen crashes, with nine people injured. Ten crashes, with seven people injured, have occurred so far in 2013, with a month remaining until the end of the year.
Some might think those numbers are low. But speeding, distracted driving, failure to yield the right of way, and collisions are happening on residential streets.
Making the situation even more distressing is that the collision happened just a block away from an elementary school and a playground. Because of the proximity to the school, the speed limit is 20 miles per hour.
The Department of Transportation conducted two traffic studies of Albemarle Road, one as recently as July 2013. The first study focused on the volume of traffic; the second one focused on volume and speed.
But because the number of crashes is considered low, based on federal guidelines, Albemarle Road doesn't qualify for stop signs. The side streets have them, but they aren't effective enough on their own to prevent collisions, especially when many drivers on those side streets fail to come to a full stop.
The Department of Transportation needs to take action to make Albemarle Road safer. Possibilities for traffic-calming measures are placing "No Standing" signs near corners, removing parking spaces at intersections to improve visibility, and building speed humps.
Something needs to happen very very soon.