Neighbors and council ward representative urge saving trees, fields and local priorities over realignment

Several residents told the Streets & Sidewalks Committee on Aug. 24 they oppose using OPWC grant money to realign the McCabe/McKeague–Ridge intersection because the change would affect Haywood Park and nearby ball fields.

Madison Hickman, a 3rd Ward councilmember who said the east corner of the intersection is in her ward, reported 28 neighborhood responses to outreach, with all but one opposed to the project. "Many in my neighborhood would rather see money spent in our area on sewers, curbs, and alleyways," she said. Neighbors raised tree loss, disruption of a longstanding park rhythm and insufficient demonstration of a traffic problem.

Residents also challenged the project’s cost-effectiveness. Jenny Beamish said her informal drive tests recorded 10–25 seconds to cross the jagged section; she called spending $1.6 million to save that time imprudent and suggested the grant money might better address local housing needs. Amy Allen and others said the existing multi-stop pattern slows traffic and protects park users; they worried converting the area to a conventional four-way layout could increase speed or remove desirable green space.

The committee acknowledged the neighborhood opposition and the parks master-plan concerns. That public input helped shape the committee consensus to defer seeking the OPWC grant this cycle and instead pursue the West Market/Route 55 Phase 3 work.