There is a street intersection where Parkside Avenue and Depew Avenue meet, that is a cause of concern for the surrounding neighborhood. For years, nearby residents have complained about car collisions that take place on a regular basis. They say that it’s dangerous, unsightly, and needs to be addressed.
I have to agree with them. On numerous occasions I have passed through the intersection, only to find another car coming around a corner heading right for me. It’s like a game of cat and mouse, as cars attempt to traverse Depew Avenue from Linden Avenue without being t-boned. “We hear tire screeching and accidents all of the time,” says one neighbor who lives close to the viaduct-like intersection. “Cars hit the embankment walls, other cars, and constantly cross the median. All of these streets and side streets come together in one big sea of asphalt – it’s time that something was done about this mess. This is a residential neighborhood in North Buffalo, where kids and dogs are crossing the streets all of the time.”
Apparently there is a long history when it comes to the hazards of this intersection, much of it grim. One neighbor said that she heard the intersection became what it is today when a father lost his son, back in the days when the train was at grade with cars. Somehow this “new” “safer” intersection was dreamed up, which on all accounts is about as dangerous and it gets. Forget about trying to cross the intersection on bike or foot – there is a single light with no signage or crosswalks, or any other traffic calming measure in place. This should be a main thoroughfare for cyclists to get from Hertel Avenue to Delaware Park. Instead it is a minefield awaiting its next victim.
There should be some sort of Olmstedian roundabout at this intersection, due its close proximity to the park system. And with other traffic calming measures underway at Parkside near the 198, wouldn’t this be the perfect time to figure out a plan?