(Atlantic) The Atlantic City Council Wednesday evening voted to pass the third and final reading of an ordinance that converts the intersection at 22nd and Olive to a four-way stop.
The Community Protection Committee met on September 29th to review several issues. One of the issues was northbound traffic on Olive Street. Vehicles, including large trucks, are traveling through this intersection at 22nd Street at a high rate of speed. The Committee recommended that the current two-way stop at this intersection be expanded to four-way.
On Wednesday night the 3rd reading passed by a 4-3 vote. Council Members Kathy Summers, Grace Garrett, and Richard Casady voted against the ordinance. Casady says, “I’m of the opinion Atlantic has too many stop signs right now anyway.” He added, “I’m going to vote no because my constituents want me to.”
Garrett expressed concerns over multiple trucks not having enough space to stop safely with proximity to the hill to the south of the intersection. “The speed limit is 35 miles per hour. As I was coming back down the hill I was measuring with my Ram pickup truck how many trucks could stop safely. You could have two trucks stop at that stop sign safely, but if there is another vehicle coming over that hill they have very little space to stop.” Additional comments raised questions about an ability stop on an include when there is ice.
The City Council in past meetings heard from citizens Dale Retallic and Dale Gross who are against making the intersection of four-way stop. No comments from the public were received during Wednesday’s meeting.
Council Member Pat McCurdy said he has had four different individuals that live in that area say they are definitely for making the intersection a four-way stop because of the increased truck traffic from the rock quarry. “Before it wasn’t needed, but now we have the extra traffic. I’ve traveled there every day and to stop for five seconds is no big deal.”
