The Star Beacon; Ashtabula, Ohio

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May 6, 2009

Getting fix at 36th, Lake

Ashtabula intersection plagued by crashes

ASHTABULA — Normalcy.

That’s all Dom Iarocci wants at the intersection of West 36th Street and Lake Avenue.

“Normalcy,” he said. “I just want to get the light fixed on West 36th (Street).”

Ever since the intersection became a four-way stop, Lake Avenue has been plagued with traffic delays, long lines of cars, and last week, an accident with minor injuries at the busy intersection.

At City Council’s public works committee meeting Wednesday, Ward 1 Councilman Joseph Rose asked Iarocci, the city’s superintendent of public services, why the intersection’s traffic signal was replaced a few months ago with four stop signs.

Flashing yellow caution lights to Lake Avenue traffic and flashing red to West 36th Street would have been the norm when the traffic light was taken down, Iarocci said.

However, the city manager ordered the four stop signs because Metropolitan Housing Authority complained its residents (Lakeview and Gulfview Towers) couldn’t get out of West 36th Street, he said.

That was the wrong answer as far as Ward 3 Councilwoman Ericka Severino was concerned.

“The city manager didn’t come to (council),” she said. “The procedure wasn’t followed.”

Rose agreed with Severino — changes to the city’s traffic map need to be made with an ordinance, through council.

Iarocci explained he borrowed parts from the traffic light at West 36th Street and Lake Avenue to get the broken light at West 38th and West Avenue working again.

According to a recent traffic study, West 38th Street and West Avenue is a busier intersection, he said.

Iarocci said he believed he was doing the right thing, but he will replace the parts at West 36th Street and Lake Avenue very soon.

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