I, alongside my neighbours in the southern part of Worcester, have been experiencing severe traffic disruptions following recent changes to the road lines on Stafford Street. For many years, our community has adapted to the natural two-lane flow of the Stafford Street and James Street intersection that we as a community created ourselves. This intuitive system we created has sustained smooth traffic flow, even during peak hours, for possibly a couple of decades.

However, in the past few weeks, the new road markings have changed this once smoothly flowing area into an awkward one-lane system. As a result, we are now experiencing a major uptick in traffic congestion. This change has led to long lines of cars stretching all the way back to Ludlow Street, creating unnecessary stress and inconvenience, particularly during the morning commute when most people normally go to work.

Seeking to further complicate matters, the other side of the road hasn't expanded due the addition of a bike lane and parking. This inclusion of a bike lane has a limited need as the steep slope of Stafford Street discourages bike usage.

On worcesterma.gov, it states, "Stafford Street has experienced 246 crashes over the last five years along the corridor including 36 in Webster Square, 41 at Heard/Curtis Parkway and 30 at James Street." Although this is said, it doesn't mean that this will stop crashes from happening. In fact, this will create more crashes due to the unexpected traffic line changes and due to the traffic, people will be more careless about getting where they need to be, causing more accidents, and the higher possibility of pedestrian fatalities.

Along with this, the updated road system for Mill Street is a safety hazard in itself. Ever since the traffic pattern was updated, there have been more parked vehicle collisions this year than the past 5 years combined ever since the road was changed. This shows that the planning for the new road systems do not work at all. You can find this information at thisweekinworcester.com and some other community posts.

Considering these issues, we request that the Worcester Project Managers reconsider the new traffic pattern on Stafford Street. We believe our pleas echo the sentiments of many others in our community caught in the morning and evening traffic snarl. Let us work together to restore efficient traffic management that promotes safety, effectively utilizes space, and reduces congestion on our roads. 

Join us as we fight for a practical and safer road system that benefits us all. Please, sign this petition.