OAK PARK, Mich. (WXYZ) — Oak Park residents believe someone will be seriously injured or killed at a busy intersection if the city refuses to make changes.
Today, police officers rushed to Kipling and Balfour streets after two vehicles wrecked. When officers got to the scene a pickup truck was up side down.
It's unclear the cause of the accident but a police cruiser was parked at the intersection as a decoy for motorist to slow down.
John Klein has lived near the intersection for two decades. His car was totaled in 2016.
"A tire flew off one of the cars involved in the accident and totaled my Toyota," Klein told 7 Action News Reporter Rudy Harper.
Klein and his neighbors say they would like to see a four way stop.
"What does it take, an act of God," Cindy Proudfoot said.
Proudfoot also lives on the block.
"I can tell you I know of seven people that have been affected in just this block," Proudfoot explained.
Aaron Tobin also lives near nearby. He said his vehicle was hit, too.
"If it was 8 inches over, I would have been crippled or killed," Tobin said.
There are no stop signs at the intersection. There are yield signs for traffic heading north and south. However, neighbors say drivers ignore the yield signs, which causes accidents.
Oak Park's police chief said they're in the process of another traffic study to see if stop signs will solve the problem. He said, in the last 3.5 years there have only been three wrecks reported.
Neighbors say the city has ignored their calls for action.
"The city engineer, I believe, doesn't really think much between yield signs and stop signs," Klein said.
He also pointed out there's a school nearby and there are no signs to warn drivers.
On Thursday, Oak Park spokesman, Colton Dale sent us a statement regarding the intersection.
Yesterday morning, the City was made aware of a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Kipling and Balfour. Our Public Safety Department responded to the scene immediately. Since that accident, we have heard residents voice their concerns about the safety of this intersection, noting that the intersection has a history of issues. Residents should know that we will be working with the Transportation Improvement Association to conduct a thorough traffic study of this intersection that takes into account volume, flow, accident history, and the nature of the surrounding environment. Historically, we have made traffic engineering assessments based on expert analysis, and we believe that past studies of this intersection have led us toward sound decisions. Still, at the conclusion of the current traffic study, we will make a determination on a path forward that is based on what is best for our residents
7 Action News will continue to follow developments in this story.
