Patch Readers Sound Off on Stop Signs in Montclair

If you’ve noticed an intersection in your neighborhood that could use a stop sign, you’re not alone.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that one-third of all intersection crashes in the United States occur at crossings controlled by stop signs. While they aren’t a perfect solution to dangerous intersections, studies have shown that installing all-way signs can reduce accidents by 40 to 60 percent.

When we asked Patch readers in Montclair where they wanted to see a stop sign, some asked for stoplights while others just requested that drivers stop at the signs that are already in place. That’s not too much to ask according to a report from the Federal Highway Administration that showed the simple, and cheap, addition of “Stop Ahead” wording on roadways reduced accidents at controlled intersections by 15 percent.

We realize that no one knows the roads in Montclair better than its residents. Here’s what Patch readers shared with us about their neighborhood’s intersections:

• "Claremont and Forest"
• "Claremont and N. Willow needs a four-way and speed bumps on N. Willow between Glenridge Ave. and Claremont."
• "Also 4-way at Claremont and Greenwood."
• "Gates and Union. My daughter catches the bus there. Constant accidents. People always stop because they think they are suppose to. It looks like a four-way, but it's not."
• "Gates and Union for sure! My children have nearly been hit on a number of occasions at this intersection."
• "A four-way is needed at Walnut and Midland. Always an accident on that corner, and there are a lot of pedestrians."
• "Cooper and Northview"

Is there a dangerous intersection on your block that didn’t make the list? Share it with us on our Montclair Patch Facebook page or in the comments below.