WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Listening, working towards solutions and getting results are three big things in focus for our WPTV Let's Hear It community meet-ups.
Let's Hear It
This roundabout caused a resident $2,500 in vehicle damage
After Rochelle Baker-Hughes of West Palm Beach came to a Let's Hear It meet-up and expressed traffic concerns, WPTV Anchor Ashley Glass spent months seeking answers about the issues Baker-Hughes was having.
"My concern was, is somebody going to die before they do something?" Baker-Hughes said.
Baker-Hughes expressed her concerns to Glass about 45th Street and Corporate Way in West Palm Beach— a route she drives five days a week.
"The main worry was accidents," Baker-Hughes said. "There were days when I was white-knuckled, because I would see people flying and not paying attention."
Glass laid eyes on the issues Baker-Hughes described— speeding, drivers blocking the intersection and what appeared to be confusion over right-of-way.
Since Baker-Hughes first put her voice on the traffic concerns at Let's Hear It, she has seen some solutions.
"I have seen change," she said. "They put in left turn signals for us coming out of Corporate Way and out of the Wawa, which I think has helped."
Let's Hear It
WPTV is seeking solutions to concerns about this Boynton Beach crosswalk
WPTV reached out to Palm Beach County Engineering and Public Works for answers about the changes Baker-Hughes is seeing and received the following response from Lady Hereford, manager of Public Information Services with Palm Beach County Engineering and Public Works:
"Palm Beach County recently added turn signals on the north and south approaches. This was requested by the Palm Beach Riverstone multi-use planned development, recently built on the south side of this intersection. The new development generated much more traffic going through the intersection, justifying the need for the addition of the turn signals."
Baker-Hughes is pleased with the result and additional signals, but said there is still room for improvement by way of better timing the signals.
"I've watched a lot of Let's Hear It stories," she said. "I think it makes a difference, and it's a good difference."
Officials with the Palm Beach County Traffic Engineering Operations Dept. said any resident can contact the division directly by phone at 561-684-4030 or by email by going to Palm Beach County traffic webpage and on the right side.
Under "Contact Us" select the type of request and use the appropriate email address.
