The city of Oakland, California, replaced traffic lights with stop signs at one intersection, but some area residents believe criminal activity by local homeless people caused the potentially dangerous change. KPIX report.
Earlier this month, the intersection of East 12th Street and 16th Street, about three miles east of downtown Oakland, went from a traffic light to a four-way stop.a Fox News The report calls the intersection “congested,” and KPIX-TV video shows the intersection filled with businesses and vehicles.
Officials who spoke with KPIX said the city made the change to the stop sign after people living in a nearby homeless camp were stealing copper wire from electrical boxes connected to traffic lights at intersections. As a result, lights were out of order for months, often flashing red or completely out of power, KPIX reported.
Mason-Young described the change to four-way stops as a “band-aid” to the problem, but noted that a band-aid is better than “bleeding.” Although his analogy is graphic, he argued, it may be appropriate given that a malfunctioning traffic light caused a truck to crash into an auto repair shop at the corner of the intersection. KPIX did not say whether there were any injuries in the crash.
Repair shop owner Tam Le argued the move to four-way parking was a sign that “the city is giving up on us.” Lee has owned the store for more than 25 years, but said he may soon be forced out by the homeless encampment that now stretches nearly three blocks along East 12th Street.
“A lot of stores have already closed on East 12th Street, and I don’t know how long we’ll be here, because if they move to this side of the sidewalk, we’re gone. ” said Lee.
The homeless create a plague along the streets, perhaps stealing copper wire, but also some stealing electricity from the city’s underground power supply. A city spokesperson told KPIX that the city placed a heavy cement block over the electrical box access point, but determined thieves would rip the block away and steal electricity.
In its report, KPIX shared a Google Earth photo of the intersection taken on an unknown date. The photo not only shows a traffic light that was once under repair, but also reveals how homeless encampments have begun to encroach on local businesses along the street.
@choeshow Composite screenshot of KPIX-TV report via X video
Young also acknowledged that crime and violence is a problem in the area. “All my family and relatives that don’t live in the area are saying, ‘You’re going to get shot.’ There are gunshots, so I can’t say, ‘No, you’re not,'” he said.
Despite the risks, Young said she still wants to stay.
“I want to live here and I love this area. I love the diversity of this area.”
A city spokesperson insisted the stop signs at the intersection are only a temporary measure, but did not provide KPIX with a timeline for when the new traffic lights would be installed.
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