Sorensen Neighborhood

TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC

Sep 04, 2006

by Sarah Mosser, St Louis Park High School student

Imagine having your kids in the car, coming home from work and seeing a car in your front yard, just 30 feet from your child?•s bedroom. Hard to imagine? It happened, and this accident is one of six that a Sorensen family has dealt with at their intersection since they moved here in 1989.

These and other accidents in the Sorensen Neighborhood are caused by uncontrolled intersections, increased speeding, cut-through traffic and general failure of ?’right a way?“ logic.

With major roads under repair or being redesigned in and around Sorensen, we are seeing more and more cut-through traffic resulting in some irresponsible speeding. This speeding is hazardous to all residents, including children, who are sometimes forced to ride or walk in the street due to our inconsistent sidewalks.

Uncontrolled intersections and lack of knowledge of ?’right of way?“ causes accidents. Most people cutting through don?•t realize we have uncontrolled intersections and approach intersections thinking ?’I don?•t have a stop sign, therefore I don?•t have to stop.?“

These accidents could be reduced if the City were to install speed bumps, traffic circles, or stop signs in a basket weave pattern in which every other intersection has a stop sign.
Speed bumps are not the City?•s favored option, as they cause problems when the City plows in the winter. Traffic circles need to be installed during neighborhood development; because Sorensen is a developed neighborhood, circles are not possible.

So the most possible option for Sorensen is a basket weave design of stop signs. The City already has installed the basket weave pattern in other neighborhoods, such as Lenox and Bronx Park.

A few neighbors have gotten together and begun talks with the City regarding the process of installing a basket weave. The next step is having a few neighborhood meetings with the City to further discuss the future of this project.

If you?•d like to be added to our master email roster, please send your name, address, phone number and email address to Meghan Phimister at mphimis@yahoo.com. This step ensures that you are included on future meetings, neighborhood get-togethers and emailing about issues that may affect the Sorensen Neighborhood.