1 year ago
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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - Neighbors successful the Modena gated assemblage successful northbound Fresno accidental they privation thing to beryllium done aft years of proceeding and seeing accidents close adjacent to their homes.
Nearly a twelve neighbors who person each lived successful the improvement for years lined up connected Thursday to talk with YourCentralValley.com to stock their experiences with the intersection of North Chestnut Avenue and East Copper Avenue. There are postulation lights successful spot - but they are not powered up and drivers are expected to beryllium treating the intersection similar a four-way stop.
"I was waiting for the lights to really spell up and assistance our kids retired successful the greeting and aft school," said nonmigratory John Fabrie. "But I noticed, erstwhile the lights went up, they didn't get turned on."
Joe Fabrie was the archetypal of his neighbors to stock his concerns; he's lived successful the Modena improvement since 2022. Fabrie says erstwhile helium archetypal saw the lights spell up astatine the intersection astir six months ago, helium was excited to beryllium capable to locomotion his kids to school.
"We're inactive having astir a wreck a week - adjacent misses astir apt each day," Fabrie said. "I won't fto my kids locomotion done the intersection aft school."
Joanna Vitale has lived successful the assemblage since March 2022 and coaches way and tract astatine Granite Ridge Middle School.
Vitale says she enjoys moving on the assorted trails adjacent her location and often runs with her students aft school, but crossing the thoroughfare astatine Chestnut Avenue and Copper Avenue creates anxiousness for her and her chap coaches.
"Coming crossed the intersection determination are 3 coaches oregon 4 coaches connected bikes oregon running, conscionable to marque definite the kids are safe, which is nerve-wracking enough," Vitale said. "Not each runner is arsenic accelerated arsenic a runner successful beforehand of them and our squad gets truly strung out. So arsenic coaches, this is our superior concern."
Also among the neighbors is lawyer Deepak Ahluwalai, who says the assemblage has gotten conflicting accusation astir erstwhile the lights volition beryllium operational.
"There seems to beryllium much finger-pointing and shifting of responsibilities."
According to Ahluwalai and his neighbors, the lodging developer and the City of Fresno person each stated that the different broadside is astatine fault. The area's councilmember, Garry Bredefeld, says helium recognizes that determination is simply a problem.
"We've wanted to get these lights turned connected overmuch sooner, but there's been delays," Bredefeld said. "Staff is gathering with them each week to get the developer and the contractor to get each the last things they need."
Bredefeld says that based connected the project's existent trajectory, the intersection's lights should beryllium turned connected earlier the extremity of the month.
Both the City of Fresno and the developer of the Modena tract person been contacted for comment.
