Overbrook Park residents fed up with decision over traffic lights

OVERBROOK PARK (WTXF) - Some Philadelphia residents are fed up with a decision over a traffic light.

Residents say its removal from a main street is putting pedestrians in an Overbrook Park neighborhood in danger.

Haverford Avenue in Overbrook Park is hopping with people and cars - high traffic and now heightened concerns.

"I want to try to cross but I don't think I can make it..."

People like Lawrence Barksdale say crossing the street has become a major hazard since the city removed three traffic signals along the avenue - at the intersections of Rhoads Street, Malvern Avenue and Sherwood Road - a busy stretch for senior citizens and children at day care.

"I watched about 6 people try to cross the crosswalk out here nobody stopped," Barksdale said.

Business owner Ray Desameau says last weekend after the signals were removed a car smashed into his storefront - now he's dealing with the damage.

"This is a main street once the light was removed people go zoom," Desameau said.

"Put the lights back."

Simply stated by local Ronald Fultz after our cameras captured him stranded in traffic across the street.

Even After he pressed the button and the warning lights blinked - traffic did not yield - he got fed up and walked away.

"You saw I couldn't get across the street - a lot of traffic."

The city's streets department could not be reached for comment but a PennDOT spokesperson says a traffic study determined these three lights were unnecessary.

FOX 29 photographer Pete Santo was rolling as he tried to navigate the cross walk - the cars disregard the warning light.