- The city of Oakland removed traffic lights at a busy intersection due to copper theft
- Local residents believe that the city needs to address its homeless encampment instead
- The stop signs are ‘temporary’ but there’s no word on when the lights will return
Stop signs are a normal part of everyday driving, but they’re not appropriate for every road type. Busy interactions are one place where lights or roundabouts often help traffic flow better. Therefore, it’s understandable that residents of Oakland, California would be upset over the city replacing lights with stop signs at a busy intersection. The reasons for the change and the proposed solution are touchy subjects.
According to the city, the stop signs at the corner of East 12th St. and 16th Avenue are temporary. They’re now in place due to the theft of copper and power from the infrastructure that powered the lights in the past. According to residents, the issue has been an ongoing one.
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The lights have gone out due to theft and have been repaired only for the cycle to continue. “The city did try to fix the traffic light at least a few times. But once they fixed it, normally within a week or so, it will go out again,” said Tam Le, owner of Le’s Auto Body & Engine Repair, located at the corner of the intersection.
Local residents and business owners in the area claim that it’s the homeless in the area who are stealing the copper and power.
“If you really want to fix the stop sign, I think you really have to clean up this homeless encampment,” Le told CBS News.
The city has attempted to deter theft by placing heavy blocks on the electric in-ground boxes, but this measure has proven ineffective. For the time being, the stop signs will remain in place until the city finds a solution that allows the lights to be reinstated without the need for constant repairs.
The homeless encampment in the area actually spans some three blocks and, apparently, it’s grown over the years. “Many businesses already closed down on E. 12th St. And I don’t know how long we’re going to be here. Because once they move to our side of the sidewalk, we will be gone,” said Le.