Ignore this Sign... Please! A page about bad traffic signs in Arlington.

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[Mystic Valley Parkway] [Westminster Avenue] [Mystic & Ridge] [Mystic & Summer]
[Acton Street & Appleton Place] [Signal Maintenance: Irving & Pleasant] [Crosswalks: Gray & Quincy]

Arlington's worst traffic sign?

Guess the meaning of this sign, located on Appleton Place eastbound at Acton Street.
Hint 1: Here's a view of the opposite side of the utility pole.
Hint 2: Here's a long range view of the approach to the mystery sign. NOTE the building in the background, Ottoson Middle School. This is in the heart of a school zone.
ANSWER: This sign (according to the town Traffic Rules and Orders) means NO RIGHT TURN Monday- Friday 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. because Acton Street is one way during those hours.

Poor signal maintenance on Pleasant Street: 

On Pleasant Street (State Route 60) at the corner of Irving Street, there's a poorly maintained traffic signal that is unsafe and presents a bad image of the community. This is the first signal drivers face after entering Arlington, and it sits in the midst of the Pleasant Street Historic District. Notice three signal lens shades are missing from this installation. Also, the signal lights are dim enough that one wonders if (a) we are using 15 watt bulbs or (b) the interior of the lens hasn't been cleaned since the signal was installed. In this photo, the green light is actually illuminated.

We need to do a better job with school crossings: 

One of the busiest school crossings in town is at the corner of Gray Street, Fountain Road, and Quincy Street. Note the school crossing sign about a block before the intersection (looking eastbound on Gray Street). The crosswalk is barely visible at this distance. To see what the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices recommends for school zones, follow this link (in PDF format-Adobe Acrobat required).

	This sign would be very helpful at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue, Pleasant Street,and Mystic Street, where the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway crosses this intersection.
	We could also use about a dozen of these signs, and a couple of patrol cars, on Massachusetts Avenue at Alewife Brook Parkway.

It's time for the Arlington Board of Selectmen to take their responsibilities for traffic safety seriously. Call or write to the Board of Selectmen and ask them to correct these dangerous traffic signs. Clarissa Rowe, Chair, 54 Brantwood Road, Arlington MA 02476, (781) 643-3156 Kevin F. Greeley, 363 Mystic Street, Arlington MA 02474, (781) 648-1973 John W. Hurd, 28 Colonial Drive, Arlington MA 02474, (781) 648-2169 Annie Lacourt , 48 Chatham Street, Arlington MA 02474, (781) 641-2918 Diane M. Mahon, 23 Howard Street, Arlington MA 02476, (781) 646-9038   <--- To park or not to park, that is the question. Conflicting parking signs on the same post on Broadway in East Arlington.

Important traffic safety links that should no longer be ignored in Arlington.
 
 

Federal Highway Administration - Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
The standards for traffic control devices in the United States.

	A Manual of Traffic Signs, posted by Richard C. Moeur, a Traffic Engineer Team Leader for the Arizona Department of Transportation. Traffic Signs displayed on this site are courtesy of Richard C. Moeur's excellent website.  Visit it!
A link to the missing and hidden street name signs in Arlington. Return to Paul Schlichtman's personal home page.

 

[Mystic Valley Parkway] [Westminster Avenue] [Mystic & Ridge] [Mystic & Summer]
[Acton Street & Appleton Place] [Signal Maintenance: Irving & Pleasant] [Crosswalks: Gray & Quincy]

Date Last Updated: May 28, 2001
Paul Schlichtman,
with thanks to Jim Echmalian for some design suggestions.
e-mail to: paul@schlichtman.org