Safety Steps Taken at Dangerous Corner

There have been 14 accidents at Edwards Street and Heil Avenue in the last 12 months, the most recent a double fatality that prompted an outcry from residents urging the city to do something to make the intersection safer.

“When you hear an accident there, you don’t hear brakes, just the scrunching of metal,” said resident Kelly Shanley, who has requested that the city take action. “The problem is you cannot see oncoming traffic.”

In response, the City Council this week agreed to spend $25,000 on improvements.

Public Works Director Les M. Jones said the raised medians on Edwards north and south of Heil will be removed, and left-turn pockets will be restriped to improve the driver’s view of oncoming traffic.

Also, to enhance visibility for motorists turning left from Edwards onto Heil or other residential side streets, shrubbery on Edwards between Edinger Avenue and the flood-control channel has been trimmed.

“I think that we’re going to see an enormous improvement as to the accidents at that corner,” said Councilwoman Shirley S. Dettloff, who lives in the neighborhood.

The city will also consider installing a device at the intersection that would take pictures of vehicles that run red lights so that police can cite them.