Orange Officials Look to Fix Intersection

Orange city officials told community activists Tuesday that they are weighing solutions after protests over safety at an intersection where two teens were injured recently.

“We’ve heard the message,” Hamid Bahadori, the city’s manager of transportation services, told about 15 residents gathered at a home near Prospect Street and Maple Avenue, where the teens were struck by cars. The two incidents prompted residents to organize demonstrations.

“Everybody wants something to be done,” Bahadori said.

Although police say the intersection has not had an unusual number of accidents, the two incidents within a week of each other sparked local concern. On Nov. 29, a 13-year-old girl was hit by a car while crossing the street. She was taken to a hospital, treated for minor injuries and released.

Five days later, a 15-year-old boy skateboarding across the intersection was seriously injured after being struck by a car.

“It was right at my front door, and it got me going,” said Mark Van Der Most, who lives in an apartment complex facing the intersection. He hosted Tuesday’s meeting. “I’m home all day long, and I cross that street every day,” Van Der Most said. “Some cars stop and some don’t. It doesn’t matter how old or big you are, it’s a real problem.”

Residents demonstrated at the intersection Friday and Saturday to draw attention to their concerns. They also contacted city officials and demanded that something be done.

On Tuesday, Bahadori responded by promising a solution by February. “We really appreciate the way you folks have handled this,” he said, “and we are moving as fast as we can.”

Bahadori said he would call for a meeting of the city’s traffic commission in January to discuss options and hoped to bring a recommendation to the City Council by Jan. 23. He said he is leaning toward recommending something called “in-pavement flashers,” a $25,000 string of crosswalk lights that would warn approaching motorists by flashing every time a pedestrian entered the intersection.

“We’re already working on it,” Bahadori said.

Community activists said they plan another demonstration Friday. “We just want to bring the level of awareness to any of the 17,000 drivers who pass here each day that this crosswalk is a problem,” Van Der Most said.