Three-way stop sign in Maurice will help ease school traffic

MAURICE — The Village of Maurice Board of Alderman voted 3-0 last Wednesday at its general meeting to place a three-way stop at the intersection of Sammy Lane and Terry Drive.
The move is expected to help ease issues related to school traffic on both Sammy Lane and Terry Drive. Both are used as paths to Cecil Picard Elementary at Maurice.
Maurice Police Chief Warren Rost approached the board Wednesday requesting that the stop signs be placed at the intersection. That intersection is near the entrance to the Village Park Subdivision, one that leads to the elementary school.
“A lot of parents in the morning and afternoon utilize that area through the entrance to the subdivision to get to the school,” Rost told the board. “There is also a school bus stop in that area.
“I have talked to some people who live in the area and, because Sammy Lane is a straight shot off La. Hwy.) 92, a few vehicles are speeding.”
Rost said the three-way stop will serve a tremendous purpose.
“People going into the subdivision on Sammy would have to stop right there at Terry,” Rost said. “The people coming (east) toward Sammy on Terry (off U.S. Hwy. 167) who want to turn left would have to alternate.
“You wouldn’t have a traffic jam right there.”
Rost said Terry Drive often becomes backed up because drivers are unable to take a left due to traffic on Sammy Lane.
“Drivers on Sammy have a straight shot into the subdivision and those on Terry have to wait,” Rost said. “If we put a stop sign there it will alleviate two problems. The straight shot in to the subdivision where people tend to speed would be stopped. It will also relieve some of the stress on Terry. Everyone would have to alternate a turn to get to school.”
Alderman Darrin Desormeaux agreed with the recommendation. Desormeaux made the resolution to install the stop signs. He did express some concern prior to the vote.
“One of the important things is that we have to keep the flow of Hwy. 92 and 167 going at all times,” Desormeaux said. “With that being a stop (at the intersection of Sammy and Terry), I just have a small concern of traffic being backed up to 92 and 167.
“I would like to monitor that in the early stages.”
Rost agreed that will be the case.
“We don’t want that either,” Rost said.
Maurice Mayor Wayne Theriot said a possible problem not related to school traffic will also be fixed by the three-way stop.
“Coming from Terry, you have a blind spot looking left because of an island,” Theriot said. “Drivers come around the island and they are outside your field of vision. I looked, didn’t see anyone and almost got hit. This would eliminate that because those drivers will now have to stop.
“I think it is a good thing.”