Reading councilmember: Traffic light needed at ‘dangerous’ intersection | Berks Regional News

READING, Pa. – Some say the intersection of 18th Street and Perkiomen Avenue seems more like a portion of a major highway rather than a street in city.

“For myself as a driver, this is an intersection I avoid because I know how dangerous it is,” said Reading City Council member Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz. “Even without the children, it’s very difficult to navigate.” 

The intersection remains busy just two days after two children got struck by a vehicle while trying to cross the street. 

“However, if you are out at this intersection at any time of day, you see how dangerous it is,” Goodman-Hinnershitz said. “And you see that people are driving fast, sometimes reckless. And children are taking their lives in their hands to have to cross the street.” 

Goodman-Hinnershitz, whose district includes the busy area, says the video broke her heart. Now she’s proposing that the city install a traffic light at the intersection.

“Every other block on Perkiomen down through 13th Street, Chestnut — there are all lights,” Goodman-Hinnershitz explained. “I think it requires more than a stop sign. I don’t think that does anything to help people.” 

She says the addition of a traffic light is not a fast process and would require a traffic study and collaboration between the city and PennDOT but that it needs to be done.  

“You need to be able to stop the traffic so that people can safely cross,” Goodman-Hinnershitz said. “So that everyone can safely cross.” 

Goodman-Hinnershitz plans to bring up the issue at council’s Committee of the Whole meeting Monday.