Emergency traffic changes near Ingalls may become permanent

LYNN – Emergency traffic changes made in September along Collins Street Terrace near Ingalls Elementary School have proven so effective the Traffic Commission will take a vote tonight aimed at making them permanent.”We did an emergency on it in September because of the opening of school,” said Police Chief and Traffic Commission Chairman Kevin Coppinger.The changes constitute an about face, literally, for the tiny, narrow street. Collins Street Terrace ran one-way from Collins Street to Fayette Court but in September it was reversed so it now runs one-way from Fayette Court to Collins Street. A stop sign was added at the intersection of Collins Street and no parking signs were put up along the odd side of Collins Street Terrace from the intersection of Orange Court to the intersection of Fayette Court, which runs in front of the school. No parking signs were also put up on Collins Street Terrace for a distance of 30 feet from the intersection of Orange Court, and 30 feet from the intersection of Fayette Court both on the even side of the street. A “No parking from here to corner” sign was also installed near the Fayette Court end of the street.A low black chain link fence runs in front of Diana Morera’s 16 Collins Street Terrace home, which like all the houses on the street, sits very close to the roadway. Morera said she’s lived in the family home since she attended the first grade at Ingalls. Parking was never been horrible but there were problems that the changes have straightened out, she said.When Morera’s father was alive and living with them he was disabled, which required deliveries to made to the house with fair amount of frequency. Morera said drivers would sometimes block the front gate with their car and she would be forced to call the school so the delivery drivers could get to the door. She said the school was always responsive but since the traffic changes were made it has been less of an issue.”I don’t think it’s so bad,” she said. “People have been pretty good about it.”Morera’s neighbor Gordon Cole also said the one-way direction change has made things better.”It used to be that Orange Court was the only way out but since they changed the one-way the traffic flows easier,” he said.Cole is used the traffic issues. He said he’s lived in his home for 40 years and sent nine children across the street for school. The only time the compact neighborhood is truly congested is for roughly 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon when school starts and ends, he said.Coppinger said he’s received no complaints since the changes were made and he expects them to be made permanent without problem.Chris Stevens can be reached at [email protected].