During a recent government meeting, officials discussed potential safety improvements for the North Avenue intersection in Plaistow, particularly the conversion from a one-way stop to an all-way stop. The meeting highlighted the intersection's crash history, which recorded 12 incidents over the past two years, prompting the need for enhanced safety measures.

The discussion included an overview of two ongoing projects in the area aimed at improving traffic flow and safety. The first is a traffic calming project along a stretch of Route 121A, designed to promote alternative transportation modes and reduce vehicle speeds. The second project focuses on signal coordination on Route 125 to alleviate delays and discourage cut-through traffic on Route 121A.

Officials noted that the current safety measures at the North Avenue intersection consist of an overhead flashing beacon, which has proven to be minimally effective, reducing crashes by only about 5%. In contrast, the proposed all-way stop could significantly enhance safety by requiring all vehicles to stop, thereby reducing the likelihood of accidents caused by impatient drivers misjudging gaps in traffic.

The meeting referenced successful all-way stop conversions in other states, including Delaware and North Carolina, which reported substantial reductions in crashes and injuries following similar implementations. The cost-effectiveness of stop signs compared to traffic signals or roundabouts was also emphasized, with estimates suggesting that the conversion could yield a benefit-to-cost ratio of 83 to 1.

Next steps involve gathering local support for the proposed changes and conducting further analysis of traffic patterns and turning counts at the intersection. If community backing is secured, officials plan to finalize evaluations and implement the all-way stop in a timely manner, aiming to enhance safety for both drivers and pedestrians in the area.