New Era Park Neighborhood Association

Traffic Daze: People Who Don’t Get It

Mar 06, 2000

-- by J. Maltzan

About three weeks ago, I was visiting a neighbor who lives on the 2700 block of D Street and noticed a major concentration of vehicles at the end of D and 28th Streets. The vehicles included two police cars at different angles across the street, one tow truck, and two cars also at opposing angles in the street. It looked like a SWAT team had descended on D Street.


Several residents were standing outside, one with a video camera, so I asked them what was going on. The neighbors told me that after watching car after car go through the half-street closure, they had called the police an hour and a half ago and the police had been giving out tickets ever since. Ten to be exact! As I stood there talking to them, yet another car turned and came through the closure even though it was quite obvious that the street was completely blocked by five other vehicles. I was amazed to say the least.


Going through a half-street closure is a moving violation. It will cost you $$$, not to mention points on your driving record, traffic school and increased insurance rates. The most critical issue is that it is very, very unsafe.
The neighbors who live on this block have encountered so many near accidents due to motorists turning left, that they have reached their limit in tolerance. Be aware, there are at least seven households on the 2700 block of D Street that will call the police immediately whenever they see anyone violating the closure restriction. They will also take down license plate numbers, videotape violators, and take pictures of cars ignoring the half-street closure. Anonymous you won?’t be.


Many residents have called the police, city staff, and public works to request better signage, alerting motorists that they cannot turn left onto D Street from 28th Street.


One person, who does not even live on the block, brought the issue up to the consultant who worked on the NPTP. Judith Anshin discussed the issue with Councilman Steve Cohn who has since directed city staff to install signage immediately.

There is now a Do Not Enter sign facing south on 28th Street, but we are still waiting for a universal No Left Turn sign to magically appear.