Chief’s Corner
By Chief Steven J. Wojnar Dudley Police Department Some time ago, upgrades to the traffic signal at the intersection of Routes 197 and 12 (West Main St. and Schofield Ave.) were made. The green turn arrows were activated to assist traffic pass through the intersection uninterrupted. This has been an improvement. I was recently asked why more intersections are not equipped with these special turn signals? Turn arrow signals are generally found at intersections where there is heavy traffic volume. These lights allow for uninterrupted turns to alleviate back-ups and provide clear guidance to drivers. Unfortunately, not all intersections allow for these signals. Since these add to the complexities of traffic lights and patterns and require a sufficient space to accommodate multiple lanes of travel, many older intersections cannot have them. These locations would require significant physical upgrades to provide separate lanes to allow turns. Traffic studies, reviews of crashes, vehicle volume, etc. are required to determine which locations must be re-designed to accommodate this type of traffic control. The re-design will generally include the expansion of the road, including the designation of special turn lanes. A local example of this taking place within the last few years, occurred at the intersection of East Main and Slater Streets in Webster. The road was determined to have sufficient width, so lines were changed to designate specific turn lanes. These modifications require a great deal of time and money. Unless it is determined that there is a significant impact on traffic flow, or a high volume of crashes in a particular location, many intersections are simply left as is for drivers to determine when it is safe to turn. Regardless of the presence of turn signals, drivers must be sure to exercise the proper caution in these situations and yield the right of way to oncoming traffic. Intersections with traffic lights generally have a high traffic volume. Drivers should exercise caution and take the time to cautiously enter these locations to avoid accidents and possible injuries. |
As a reminder, on Saturday, April 24th from 9 am to 1:00 pm, the Dudley Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will conduct another prescription drug “Take Back” event. The public can safely dispose of expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. The service is free and anonymous. During our previous events, large quantities of prescription medications were taken in. Several communities in our area will also be participating in this event. If you are not from Dudley, check with your local police for a participating location near you. I encourage everyone to mark their calendars and take advantage of this opportunity.
As the pandemic continues, we ask everyone to stay safe and continue to take the necessary precautions to protect yourselves. Vaccination information can be found at www.dudleyma.gov or by calling 508-949-8036. Hopefully, the end of this pandemic is in sight. We, at the Dudley Police Department, greatly appreciate the support we receive from our community. Thanks again for your questions and comments. Please send them to me at the Dudley Police Department 71 West Main St., Dudley, Ma. 01571 or email at swojnar@dudleypolice.com. Opinions expressed in this weekly column are those of Chief Wojnar only and unless clearly noted, do not reflect the ideas or opinions of any other organization or citizen. |
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