>>> DRIVING IN TRAFFIC CAN BE A CHALLENGE FOR ANY DRIVER,
WHETHER THEY'RE IN THE CITY OR ON A HIGHWAY.
AND WHILE WE ASSOCIATE TRAFFIC CONGESTION WITH CITIES, WESTERN
NEW ENGLAND ISN'T IMMUNE TO TRAFFIC TROUBLES.
"CONNECTING POINT'S" BRIAN SULLIVAN HIT THE ROADS RECENTLY
AND DISCOVERED ONE OF THE MOST CONGESTED SPOTS IN THE STATE
RIGHT HERE IN THE PIONEER VALLEY.
HE TAKES US TO THE TOWN OF EAST LONGMEADOW TO BRING US THE
STORY.
>>> IN EDUCATION NEWS, MASSACHUSETTS STUDENTS ARE
>> DOWNTOWN SPRINGFIELD, WHERE THERE IS SEEMINGLY NO SHORTAGE
OF STOPLIGHTS.
THEY FEEL LIKE THEY TAKE FOREVER BECAUSE THEY ARE ON A SENSOR.
THEY PROVIDE ORDER THAT MAY HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN CHAOS.
IT IS A DIFFERENT STORY IN WEST SPRINGFIELD, SPECIFICALLY OUT IN
FRONT OF THE SHOPPING PLAZA.
WHEN TAKING A LEFT TURN FROM THE WESTBOUND LANE IS A RISKY
PROPOSITION.
UP THE ROAD THE LEFT TURN LANE GETS ITS OWN SIGNAL.
LIGHTS DON'T SECURE A SAFE OUTCOME.
SIX CORNERS FEATURES A LIGHT AT FIVE OF SIX ENTRY POINTS AND NO
TURN ON RED HELPS PREDICT DRIVING MANEUVERS.
DOES IT WORK?
THOSE ARE POSTED ON ST.
JAMES AND STATE.
THIS AREA WAS ONCE RANKED FOURTH IN THE STATE BY A BOSTON LAW
FIRM FOR INJURY ACCIDENT RATE.
FOR ALL THE DANGEROUS ROADWAYS AND INTERSECTIONS IN THE
SPRINGFIELD AREA, THERE IS ONE SPOT THAT STANDS OUT AS MORE
CHAOTIC AS ALL OF THEM.
THE ROTARY HERE IN EAST LONGMEADOW.
THIS SPOT WAS MADE FAMOUS BY THE GUINNESS BOOK AND RIPLEY'S
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SEVEN CONVERGING ROADS AND NO
STOPLIGHTS.
RESIDENTS ARE ACCUSTOMED TO ITS NUANCES, BUT TO THE OUTSIDE
DRIVER, UNLIKE OTHER TRAFFIC CIRCLES, VEHICLES SLOW AT
APPROACH EAST LONGMEADOW FEATURES YIELD SIGNS INSIDE THE
ROTARY.
>> YOU NEVER KNOW WHO IS GOING TO COME UP THIS WAY OR THAT WAY.
YOU HAVE TO BE VERY DILIGENT IN YOUR DRIVING.
>> I THINK THE CONFUSION STEMS FROM SO MANY CHOICES AND THE
ONFLOW OF TRAFFIC COMING AT YOU FROM THE SIDE.
IF YOU ARE NOT A CAUTIOUS DRIVER AND YOU ARE NOT ANTICIPATING IT,
THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A FENDER BENDER.
>> AND THANKS IN PART TO THIS STOP SIGN ON NORTH MAIN, WHICH
IS A RELATIVELY NEW ADDITION, IT IS MINOR FENDER BENDERS THAT
MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF THE CRASHES HERE.
>> PERIODICALLY WE GET A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, BUT MORE RECENTLY, IT
HAS BEEN, DUE TO SOME RECENT CHANGES IN THE ROTARY, IT HAS
BEEN LOW SPEED, MINOR ACCIDENTS.
MAYBE TWO TO THREE A WEEK, IF THAT.
THAT IS PROBABLY PUSHING IT.
>> MINOR ACCIDENTS OR NOT, LOCAL LAWMAKERS WOULD PREFER THIS
LANDMARK NOT GATHER ANY MORE NEGATIVE ATTENTION.
>> FOCUSING ON THIS THE BIGGEST ASPECT IS MONEY.
WE HAVE TO GET A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO COME UP WITH A
BLUEPRINT, THEN WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND IT.
IT WOULD BE A PRIORITY OF MYSELF AS WELL AS THE MEMBERS OF THE
EASTLAWN MEADOW DELEGATION.
BUT FUNDING IS KEY.
THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE LAND TAKEN, THERE HAS TO BE SOME TYPE OF
MAJOR REROUTING AND CONSTRUCTION JOBS ARE NOT CHEAP.
LOOKING BEYOND THAT, THE BIG ISSUE IS WHAT WE DO IS NOT ONLY
LONG TERM BUT ENHANCE THE SAFETY FOR THE PUBLIC.
>> THE LAND TAKING ALONE COULD BE THE BIGGEST STUMBLING BLOCK.
SO MANY BUSINESSES OPERATING AROUND THE ROTARY, TOUGH LOVE IS
IT IS LIKELY HERE TO STAY FOR THE FORSEEABLE FUTURE.
THE BEST THING THEY CAN DO TO STAY SAFE IS CONTINUE TO DRIVE
WITH EXTRA CAUTION EVERY TIME.
>> I DO UNDERSTAND IF SOMEBODY IS NOT FROM HERE, IT SEEMS TO
VIOLATE SOME OF THE STATE LAWS WITH REGARDS TO ROTARIES, BUT IT
IS THE BEST WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW WITH WHAT WE ARE DEALT.