POLL: Which is the Worst Intersection in Watertown
Watertown Square can be frustrating to drive through, but there are others that can be hair raising to drive through.
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Watertown has its share of tricky intesections, as any driver (or walker) can attest, but which is the worst?
Watertown Square, with five roads converging in one spot, can take forever to drive through. Walking across it can be a bear, too. And if there is a traffic delay – such as when the T wires came down last year – it messes up traffic all over town.
The intersection of Common, Church and Orchard streets can be a hair raising experience, with no stop light and cars whizzing down the Common Street hill. A bicyclist was injured recently ran into the side of a van in the intersection.
The convergence of Arlington and Arsena streets with Coolidge Avenue and the entrance to Home Depot requires drivers to have their eyes pointing two directions at once.
Which do you think is the worst intersection? If it's not in the poll add it in the comment section below.
Chris Dwight
3:14 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Arlington and Grove is no walk in the park during the evening commute home. Turning left onto Arlington coming off Grove is risky every time. People at the stop sign are in such a rush to dash in front of the exiting Tufts traffic they forget that people turning left of Grove have the right of way. I've almost been smacked a few times and I've seen a number of accidents there. Traffic seems to be even more backed up now that the new light system went in at Nichols and Arlington.
Charlie Breitrose
3:30 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Chris, is that the split near the Elks Club? It does seem like a particularly bad one for pedestrians.
Chris Dwight
3:48 pm on Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Yes. Right where the new building was just put up next to the Elks. It takes a police detail just to get people out of the tufts parking garage onto Grove. They could probably use a second to get people traveling from Arlington the rest of the way to the Mt Auburn St lights.
Edie B.
8:26 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Correction needed in your copy, Charlie: Your article says Common, Summer and Orchard streets, but it's Common, Church, and Orchard streets.
Thank you for bringing this dangerous intersection to light. Now the big question is, what has to happen to get an improvement? Do citizens need to sign petitions? Ask the Town Council? I'm not being a wise guy here with rhetorical questions. I am seriously wondering how to get the ball rolling. Thanks for any help you can offer. The pen is mightier than the sword!
Charlie Breitrose
8:48 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Good catch, Edie. You are right, I had the wrong street leading into the scary intersection
Patricia L Faria
8:31 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Paul Street and North Beacon Street intersection has had many accidents. It is the only 4 way intersection that does not have a stop light. Paul Street is used as a cut through for Lexus dealership and many diesel trucks. There are many small children who now live on Paul Street and I think it would help if traffic on Louise Street was one way in the direction od Arsenal Street. It would also help if a cross walk was placed so residents of Paul Street could cross more safely. So many cars speed after the light at Perkins School intersection.
Rob_Mc
9:27 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
They are all bad, there was a point where they were suggesting making Church St a one way. I say block the end of it all completely.
I used to live on Nichols Ave and people do about 50 down that street. I've almost gotten hit many times by cars coming down Boylston doing 40 or so, and making the left onto Nichols. I am glad they made the 4 way stop at the Dexter Ave cross finally. Does watertown traffic enforcement do anything but give out parking tickets?
Daniel Winter
10:29 am on Wednesday, February 1, 2012
School Street and Dexter Ave. It suffers from Arsenal st traffic in one direction and drivers on School give no quarter to allow Dexter Ave traffic to cross or make turns. Pedestrians also have a tough time because no one watches for them.