Crowell Road Traffic Light Has Spotty Working History

CHATHAM – Something many people like about Chatham is that it has only four full traffic lights. “Timing the lights” isn’t a thing here, because they are so few and far between.

One of those traffic lights, however, hasn’t been working properly in what seems like years.

Most people, it seems, don’t even realize the traffic light exists, but for residents of a nearby housing complex, it’s a big help in getting across one of the town’s busiest roads.

The lights in question are on Crowell Road at the crosswalk at the department of public works. Across the street are the town’s housing authority units, and a bit up the hill, the Lake Street Terraces apartments and townhouses. The traffic light functions as a safe way for folks who live in the nearby housing to cross the street. And as one of the main arteries into town and the road to the regional middle school, Crowell Road tends to be very busy, especially at certain times of the day. While the traffic volume increases in the summer as it does on all town roads, Crowell Road remains quite busy all year long.

The light has a spotty working history. It was originally installed at the crosswalk to provide assistance to pedestrians from the nearby housing complexes (exactly when is not certain, but it was at least two or three decades ago). It’s gone on and off over the years, and hasn’t worked much since the pandemic. It was working as recently as a few months ago, according to Public Works Director Rob Faley, but not always properly. The latest malfunction occurred just before July 4, he said.

“I deemed it a safety issue so shut off the power,” he wrote in an email.

Parts have been ordered to repair the lights, but, Faley wrote, “as with many electrical components, it is delayed. I hope to have it up and running soon, but it’s unfortunately up to the supply chain.”

Housing authority tenants count on the light to safely cross the busy road, said Housing Authority Executive Director Tracy Cannon.

“We had it installed decades ago and we pay the bill,” she said.

As of late last week, the traffic light was still dark.

And where are the other traffic lights in town? It’s a great trivia question.

There’s the one on Crowell Road. Another is at the four corners where Route 28, Old Harbor Road and Shore Road meet. Probably the best known and most visible traffic light is the one at the corner of Route 28, Crowell and Queen Anne roads, near the Unitarian Universalist Meetinghouse. There’s a blinking light at Crowell Road and Orleans Road in Chathamport, but that’s not a full traffic signal.

The final full traffic light? This stumps most people, because it is hardly ever used.

It’s at the Mitchell River Bridge. Unless you’re there when the bridge is being raised and/or lowered, you won’t see that one working, either.