A view east along Patterson Avenue on November 17, above, and again on Wednesday morning, below, when a motorist was pulled over for speeding. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
A recent $640,000 refurbishment of Patterson Avenue in Shrewsbury included new drainage, pavement, crosswalks, traffic calming features and signage.
Lots of signage. Too much signage, in the view of some residents and officials.
A profusion of chartreuse signage created, in the words of Mayor Donald Burden, “that Las Vegas Strip effect.”
Since the completion of the project about a month ago, however, the number of signs has been dramatically culled, largely by the removal of “No Parking” signs that were posted on every bump-out.
The excess signs “are gone,” and are being reused elsewhere in town, Burden told redbankgreen Tuesday.
But in the view of at least one neighbor, there should be at least a couple more signs: speed limit signs.
The street is heavily used as a cut-through between Shrewsbury Avenue and Broad Street/Route 35 by commuters bypassing the bottleneck at Newman Springs Road and Broad. And particularly for those heading eastbound, the downhill slope near Shrewsbury Avenue is an enticement to exceed the 25-mile-per-hour limit.
But there’s only one speed limit sign on that side of the street, near the crest of the hill, noted the resident, who asked not to be named. He said the bumpouts make it difficult for drivers pulling from side streets to see cars coming down the hill. They also pose a hazard to the speeders, he said.
“Someone will hit one of the bumpouts – it will happen – and go right across the road, and you’ll have a head-on scratch,” he said.
During a 10-minute visit Wednesday morning, redbankgreen saw police pull one eastbound motorist over for speeding and go after another who turned south onto Broad Street.
