Residents Celebrate New Signs
With the installation of two new stop signs on 2nd Street North at 5th Avenue North, there’s finally something to slow down drivers on what’s become a dangerous—and even deadly—stretch of road.
Before city crews arrived Monday to install the signs, there was essentially nothing to stop drivers on 2nd Street between the stoplights at 10th Avenue and 3rd Avenue, and many would speed through the area which is heavily populated with pedestrians.
Last October, an 81-year-old woman was hit by a driver near that intersection as she and her husband tried to cross 2nd Street, and died the following month.
Many North Loop residents—who had already been complaining to the city about the speeders—intensified their calls for safety measures after her death. And now, with the new stop signs in place, many were celebrating on social media.
“Hallelujah!!,” wrote Kristin Schroeder on the North Loop Facebook page. “I live on that block and have almost been hit by cars multiple times at that intersection.”
A day after the new signs went up, more crews arrived to attach warning flags to them, while a police officer pulled over several drivers who failed to stop.
“Awesome!! I’m so happy about this!!,” wrote Annie Dingle on Facebook.
City councilman Steve Fletcher, in his weekly newsletter, wrote about the safety concerns he heard from North Loop residents and said the city is still evaluating other potential traffic calming improvements along 2nd Street in the future. “The City’s Vision Zero Action Plan to eliminate traffic deaths and severe injuries is clear that we need to move rapidly to make our streets safer,” he wrote. “Thank you to everyone who has shared feedback on this street to help inform this change!”
For more updates on what’s happening in the North Loop, check our News Section.