Council Demands Action on Bradford’s ‘Crazy Intersection’

City Councilor William J. Macek

Four years is long enough to wait for a resolution to traffic problems at the “crazy intersection” of South Prospect, South Elm and South Pleasant streets, Councilor William J. Macek declared Tuesday.

A frustrated council voted unanimously to write to Mayor James J. Fiorentini, Public Works Director Michael Stankovich and City Engineer John H. Pettis asking that reconstruction of the intersection be made a top priority in the 2017 construction season.

South Elm Street resident Michael Katsulis said cars speed through the intersection despite limited sight lines caused by parked cars lining the roads. He suggested that officials make South Pleasant Street to one-way from the intersection of Chadwick and Middlesex streets to South Elm, and to place a stop sign at South Elm where it meets South Pleasant.

The City Council sitting in 2012 ended a one-way traffic pattern on that section of South Pleasant Street, and traffic problems have only worsened since, Katsulis said.

At that time, Fiorentini instructed Stankovich to develop a plan to redesign the intersection, saying state Highway Department money might be available to pay for the project.

Katsulis said he remembers surveyors measuring the intersection sometime in 2013.

“Why do we talk about these things for three years while nothing gets done?” asked Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan.

 

“If we as a body had the power to make it so, we would, but the buck stops at another office,” said Council Vice President Melinda Barrett.

Macek, who was among the councilors who voted to allow two-way traffic on South Pleasant Street again, said he did so because the board was promised the intersection would be redesigned in some way.

“Let’s get an updated price and get it pushed up on the list,” Macek said.”

Councilor Michael S. McGonagle, the council’s representative to the Traffic and Safety Committee, pointed out the council can push for designs to be created, but has no power to fund the project.

“We have to make this a high priority, otherwise we’ll be waiting another four years,” said Council President John A. Michitson.

 

3 thoughts on “Council Demands Action on Bradford’s ‘Crazy Intersection’

  1. “Why do we talk about these things for three years while nothing gets done?” asked Councilor Thomas J. Sullivan. ROTFL , because it is what Haverhill does under this Mayor. Where have you been councilor ? It took 8 years to get a parking plan in place and it still isn’t right. How long did the roof leak at the police station or JG Whittier middle school ? I could go on but do not have enough room here !

    • Jack, you are so right!!! The list of things this incompetent mayor has ignored is a long one.

      –He ignored Hunking School had structural water problems for so long the whole friggin’ school had to be replaced!!!

      –He ignored properly managing city water sources to the point where now rates will go up 50% to pay for his incompetence.

      –He ignored hiring city and school IT Managers, after the two people holding those jobs retired as soon as they possibly could, which resulted in numerous problems throughout city schools.

      –He put off for YEARS bringing the police department up to full staffing. Who knows how many crimes that facilitated?

      –He intentionally ignored what his buddy Jim Flaherty was doing as he was ripping off taxpayers by stealing from the Haverhill DPW.