BUFFALO, N.Y. — Jeff Goodwin and James Groves bike through the intersection of Hertel and Elmwood in North Buffalo nearly every day.
"It's almost easier to go up the street here and try to find your way across as apposed to play frogger here and take chances with your life," said Goodwin.
Ask just about anyone who passes through the intersection and chances are they'll tell you, it's become busier and busier over the past few years.
"If I was a biker, there would be no way I would be on the street at this intersection. You have to go on the sidewalk. That is for your own safetly," Margaret Szczepaniec, the chair of the West Hertel Association, said.
"I'd say it's one of the most dangerous intersections in this area," said Groves.
That's why members of the West Hertel Association sent hundreds of letters to Councilman Joe Golombeck, asking for a traffic study to track the number of cars passing though the area.
"We need to somehow or another clam it, and that's what the traffic study will show is the best way to calm that traffic," Szczepaniec said.
The 516 letters said the cause for traffic is the redevelopment of businesses in the area. They expect it to get worse with the redevelopment of the Northwest and Southwest corners by Uniland.
"We're going to end up having 10, 20, 50 more times the traffic than we have right now. We'd rather address it earlier rather than it be a problem and try to address it," said Councilman Joe Golombeck, council member for the North District.
"We're very happy they're here, we want them to bring more people into the area but we want it done efficiently, effectively and safely," said Szczepaniec.
The Common Council has sent the traffic study issue to the Community Development Committee, Mayor Byron Brown and the Department of Public Works for review.
