Residents' request for 4-way stop is denied

Neighbors are worried a child will be hit by a car.
By JEANNE STARMACK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- Residents who wanted a four-way stop sign in their neighborhood say they are disappointed and frustrated that trustees turned down the request.
Residents on North Warwick Drive in the Brookwood Estates subdivision say they're worried because speeders in their neighborhood are a danger to children.
They asked the trustees to approve a four-way stop for the intersection of North Warwick and Plumbrook Drive. There are already stop signs on Plumbrook, and residents said they believe the addition of stop signs on North Warwick will help to slow down motorists.
But at a special meeting Friday, the trustees voted unanimously against the four-way stop.
Why not?
Trustee David Ditzler said it would open a "Pandora's box," and there has to be a benchmark for allowing such a stop. Installing one to control speeding is against state guidelines.
The trustees did vote May 8 to allow a four-way stop at Penny Lane, Birch Trace Drive and Oak Trace Street after residents in that neighborhood complained about speeding.
But trustees and township administrator Michael Dockry said a traffic study on North Warwick only showed one-third the amount of cars that travel Penny Lane in a day. Penny Lane is a collector route between county roads New and Kirk, and a study there showed 750 cars a day travel Penny Lane. There were 233 cars a day on North Warwick, though the average speed was higher: 30.5 mph compared to 26.5 mph on Penny Lane. The speed limit on North Warwick is 25 mph.
North Warwick resident Anna Marie Roth, who contacted the township several weeks ago to request the signs, said she is discouraged and frustrated by the decision.
"I just don't understand what is the big deal to put it up," she said. "We pay our taxes. We pass these levies. This is very discouraging."
On Friday afternoon, she sat in her garage with neighbor Traci Amatore, and the two watched the traffic.
Cars often speed up Warwick, they said, but especially speed coming down the street toward Thorngate, which provides access from the subdivision to Raccoon Road.
Amatore said she believes there are about 15 households in the neighborhood that would like to have the four-way stop. About five or six households, they said, have children under 10.
Amatore said putting in the stop signs wouldn't cost the township much money.
Trustees said they would increase police patrols on the street to control speeders.
starmack@vindy.com