I propose a 3 way stop at Maplewood Avenue and Parker

What do you think?  Has this ever been brought up?

I feel like Maplewood got a discount on a pile of Stop signs this year, and we have more new stops than I think we needed. I personally don't feel like I've ever been stuck at that West Parker 'T'. The one at Dunnell and Oakland also seemed a bit extra. But, maybe I'm not going through at the time that the YMCA is the most busy anymore.

You mean W Parker, just up from the recently “fixed” intersection with Jefferson?  i would vote for that, enough people seem to be confused about the right of way…

tpb said:

You mean W Parker, just up from the recently “fixed” intersection with Jefferson?  i would vote for that, enough people seem to be confused about the right of way…

I think that would confuse things more.  We need to just accept that we've crowded the town with too many cars from the apts. that "wouldn't have cars because those people will take the train", (hah!) and face the situation that it takes forever to make a left hand turn there now -- JUST like S. Ridgewood and Third St.  
West Parker is a dead end there, so if everyone follows the "Car coming from the right has right of way" rule, it's still better than backing up traffic on the more "thru" road, (Maplewood Ave.)  Sometimes, drivers who are sensitive to how long a left turn will take there will make a space and wave the W. Parker Waiter to turn before they do.  It has happened to me at S. Ridgewood & Third.

West Orange is a morass of all-way stops and traffic lights, not to mention (what seems like) thousands of speed bumps. It makes me not want to travel in town and we often go the other way towards South Orange/Maplewood. We are on the border anyway. 

I was surprised when the 3 way stop popped up at Oakland and Dunnell.  I was just thinking if there were to be a new one - where would my first spot be.  But yes, it can be a bit much.

I have been cutting through Dunnell to Jefferson to avoid turning left from Parker to Maplewood Avenue.

jamie said:

I have been cutting through Dunnell to Jefferson to avoid turning left from Parker to Maplewood Avenue.

Turning left onto Maplewood Avenue from Jefferson is a crapshoot. (If there’s another left-turner or two ahead of you, it can take forever.) I prefer the regularity of the light at Parker.

That intersection has been particularly impacted by the closing of Baker Street

Yes, sometimes you have to wait there to be able to turn left, but stop signs aren't for convenience, they're for safety.  The stop sign that is there, on Parker, creates a safe intersection.  Maplewood Ave should have the right of way.  So no, I don't think the intersection would benefit from more stop signs. 

Eventually every intersection will have all way stops or traffic lights. There are just so many more cars and people living in the area today than say 30 years ago. There are some T junctions that have no stop sign and that was fine long ago, today everyone seems to be on a tight schedule. I’m sure eventually the right turn on red will come to an end in every town and city in New Jersey.

Jaytee said:

Eventually every intersection will have all way stops or traffic lights. There are just so many more cars and people living in the area today than say 30 years ago. There are some T junctions that have no stop sign and that was fine long ago, today everyone seems to be on a tight schedule. I’m sure eventually the right turn on red will come to an end in every town and city in New Jersey.

According to the census bureau, in 1970, Maplewood had a population of 24,932 while in 2022, it's estimated to be 25,220.  

Steve said:

According to the census bureau, in 1970, Maplewood had a population of 24,932 while in 2022, it's estimated to be 25,220.  

More households but smaller family units equals significantly more cars (1) because young children don't drive motor vehicles; and (2) fewer people are walking to local destinations than did in 1970.  

joan_crystal said:

Steve said:

According to the census bureau, in 1970, Maplewood had a population of 24,932 while in 2022, it's estimated to be 25,220.  

More households but smaller family units equals significantly more cars (1) because young children don't drive motor vehicles; and (2) fewer people are walking to local destinations than did in 1970.  

Yes, likely additional households, but there is also more transit oriented development and better train service.  

Maybe in South Orange but not in Maplewood.  The vast majority of multifamily housing is on or near Springfield Avenue with transportation by jitney to the train station only during am rush and return service for evening rush, while we have an increase in the number of residents who work non-traditional hours.  The trains and train station in Maplewood are not accessible for people with mobility issues due to the stairs required to board the train and stairs required to access the center platform.  Bus service along Springfield Avenue, our major remaining bus route, has not increased.  Most of the Springfield Avenue buses do not go past the bus garage and destination's served by the bus lines (25 and 70) are limited.  Then there is the loss of the 31 bus which used to travel on Valley Street.  There is no longer any public transportation going north/south in Maplewood.

More like 26,000 people in maplewood. Definitely more cars on the streets. You don’t have to be statistician to figure that out. Anyone got stats on the school population? 

So, Jamie, please remind us of the definition of patience.

Jaytee said:

More like 26,000 people in maplewood. Definitely more cars on the streets. You don’t have to be statistician to figure that out. Anyone got stats on the school population? 

This is from the district website:

The School District of South Orange and Maplewood serves more than 7,200 students in ten schools, including one early-childhood center, six elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school.

yahooyahoo said:

Jaytee said:

More like 26,000 people in maplewood. Definitely more cars on the streets. You don’t have to be statistician to figure that out. Anyone got stats on the school population? 

This is from the district website:

The School District of South Orange and Maplewood serves more than 7,200 students in ten schools, including one early-childhood center, six elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school.

Hard to use that number for comparisons, since the rapid increase in preschool placements is against a very low base as the program expands.

In a thread on another social media site, statistics were presented showing that school enrollment is lower now than before the pandemic in k -12