Traffic Circle Proposed for Eggert and Brighton in the Town

[Judi I]

Did anyone attend the meeting held last week sometime at the Brighton Fire Hall ? I was out of town and missed it. I spoke briefly with a few neighbors and they are upset?

I am wondering if any here has heard anything? I think the county hired some engineering firm to do a study on the traffic on Eggert Rd. They are proposing to make Eggert Rd wider and put in a traffic circle?

I'd like to know the facts. Okay that was a stupid comment, but where did the notion come from that we have a traffic problem. It backs up on Monday nights when bingo gets out and sunday masses. But that 's it. A matter of a few moments.

People are leaving the area?
Are they kidding. They are talking about taking 10 feet of our frontage.
That would put the side walk under my dining room window?

Can't seem to find anything on line regarding it.

[Effigy]

Judi,

There was a decent sized article in last week's Amherst Bee (Tonawanda edition) along with somewhat less in the Buffalo News.

[Judi I]

thanks, I will try to find it.

[GG716]

Let me guess it's by the same Canadian company who want(ed) to dump all the other traffic circles all over WNY? Every chance they get for any traffic problem they push one of their circles on anyone dumb enough to entertain the idea.

[Aaron O'Brian]

I live right around the corner from there and I haven't heard anything about it. Judi, if you learn anything please share it with us. Thanks!

[Eat My Gun]

A traffic circle in that intersection is completely unnecessary and a waste of money.

The signals at Loretta, Jamaica, Brighton, and Eggert manage traffic fine.

[Surfing USA]

A traffic circle in that intersection is completely unnecessary and a waste of money.

The signals at Loretta, Jamaica, Brighton, and Eggert manage traffic fine.

I've lived in the Town of Tonawanda for most of my life and have rarely experienced a problem in the area of the proposed traffic circle.

If anything, I think traffic circles create more confusion considering most people don't know how to properly navigate them.

[Surfing USA]

Traffic circle isn’t needed at Brighton, Eggert roads

From 'Everybody's Column' in the Buffalo Snooze, Weds. 06/04/2008

A plan has been proposed to uproot businesses and install a traffic circle at the Brighton-Eggert intersection. This ill-conceived proposal aims a dagger at the heart of the community. To what end do they threaten to draw the lifeblood out of this flourishing business district? To reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality by lessening the amount of time cars spend idling at the intersection! These rationalizations would be laughable, if the consequences were not so dire.

Only a bureaucrat with a cruel sense of irony would sponsor a proposal to reduce traffic congestion that ends up closing some of the very businesses that generated the traffic in the first place. Why is such a draconian measure being suggested as a solution to a problem that most of us who live and work in the area didn’t even know existed?

Spending money on a project the people don’t want, on resolving a problem the people don’t have, in a way that brings irreparable damage to the community would seem to me to be the height of government myopia. I hope the Town Board will see its way clear to killing this project and saving our community.

Dave Hyzy

Tonawanda

[Linda_D]

I'm a little confused. Why would anyone propose a traffic circle for the Brighton-Eggert intersection to "relieve" traffic congestion? Traffic circles work well when there's relatively little traffic, but they are dangerous when there's a high volume of traffic. Try going through Gates Circle at 5 PM. It's one of the reasons NYS DOT removed the old Athol Springs traffic circle and replaced it with lights and stop signs.

A better, cheaper alternative would be to replace the current traffic light controls on some/all of the streets with sensor controls to change the lights when there's actually traffic ready to enter the intersection.

[Judi I]

I would like to know who in the community they actually spoke to. The project is the brain child of the Erie County Dept of Public Works, in conjuction with the New York DOT through major funding by the Federal Hwy Authorities.

Eggert Rd is a county road. I find it ironic that they want to make improvements to the alleged traffic problem, yet for the last 2 years when we have been try to get the to fix the curbs the snow plows have destroyed, they have no funding???

One of the Town Board Council members stated that the Town will give their imput and be sure that the community is heard. I hope so.

I understand that the Brighton Fire Dept is strongly opposed to a traffic circle.

[Surfing USA]

One of the Town Board Council members stated that the Town will give their imput and be sure that the community is heard. I hope so.

I understand that the Brighton Fire Dept is strongly opposed to a traffic circle.

Unfortunately, Neither the Town of Tonawanda, nor the Brighton fire department have ANY say-so regarding this ridiculous proposal.

[Judi I]

Unfortunately, Neither the Town of Tonawanda, nor the Brighton fire department have ANY say-so regarding this ridiculous proposal.

Exactly my fear. I would like to know where they came up with the "alledged traffic " problem and elevated number of accidents. As others who live in the area have posted the signals work fine. There are brief backups because the signals are not timed right....in my opinion. It is usually when the bingo games or the masses let out at St. Amelias. But it is over quickly. And St. Amelias has cut back on the mass schedules so traffic is a more concentrated, but they also have a cop out there directing traffic to keep it flowing and preventing accidents.

I am waiting to see if they claim the "increased traffic" is due to the "Colvin Woods Business Park. That was a project the neighborhoods were opposed to for a number of reasons. Traffic was one of the many. Of course all the studies produced claim their would be no adverse affects. I don't believe it is because the building are still have empty. Ciminelli isn't filling them like they claimed they would. Another example of the town looking after the community.

Supposedly, they will be holding a second meeting. I will be sure to be in town for that one.