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a-german-muffin t1_je06qqq wrote

I'm in a group trying to work on some changes to the Poplar Drive/Poplar Street intersection, and I can tell you this: You're probably out of luck right out of the gate. The Poplar/Poplar intersection is complicated because it's a park road and a regular city street, so changes to that one aren't easy (mixed budgets, etc.) — but the one thing we've learned for sure is Parks & Rec is tapped out as far as budgeting for any park roads.

It's not to say it's not worth it to try to get something moving on that front, but you're going to need to gather a fair amount of interest (petitions, potentially other steps). Constantly calling the cops on the crosswalk parkers might move the needle, too (or at least annoy the 9th enough that they lean on council/P&R to do something further).

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Fattom23 OP t1_je078ic wrote

That's disheartening, but not unexpected. It's just insane that someone can look at that intersection and not see that parking in or near that crosswalk is dangerous because it blocks people leaving the park from being visible to the drivers leaving the distant stop sign (the southbound one). That way, drivers can build up a good head of steam before kids and families try to walk out between the cars blocking the crosswalk. Even a couple planters to maintain distance would be incredibly helpful.

I am interested in hearing about this group, though. If numbers can help, I'll help any way I can.

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a-german-muffin t1_je0bkzp wrote

Believe me, I hear you — and maybe the Conservancy can help with getting planters or something similar, but keep expectations low otherwise. That intersection wasn't so much engineered as it just... evolved out of a late 1800s mess.

As for the Poplar/Poplar group, it's mostly a bunch of folks who live over by the park trying to nudge Streets and Parks & Rec, with mild success (Poplar Street's getting repaved this year, so some light fixes are in the works). DM me if you want to pop into the (mostly email) works, though!

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mistersausage t1_je5j6eo wrote

A traffic light would be nice, like they are adding at 31st and Girard

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a-german-muffin t1_je5kkth wrote

Given Poplar Drive only got stop signs in 2017, a light's not super likely. We have heard that it's possible the intersection can get at least partially redesigned, most likely to narrow the crossings, and there might be some short-term solutions (e.g., temporary flex posts) to at least partially accomplish that ahead of a full redesign.

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mistersausage t1_je5l6z9 wrote

IMO a full redesign will only happen when the 100 year old bridge over the tracks collapses.

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a-german-muffin t1_je5mmre wrote

The bridge just got resinspected in December and is apparently still OK, for what that's worth.

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mistersausage t1_je63586 wrote

Until some moron drives a 40 ton dump truck over it

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a-german-muffin t1_je6cjzw wrote

Eh, that inspection came after they were running the 48 over it for months during the Girard detour, and the articulated buses come in at like 30 tons, so... it seems OK from that standpoint.

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