Swansboro activates a new traffic signal

SWANSBORO - The town of Swansboro is upping its number of traffic lights by 25 percent. A new traffic signal installed at the intersection of Hammock Beach Road and N.C. 24 brings the total number of traffic lights in town from four to five.

The signal was installed May 7, and the lights have been operating in a flashing mode.

A new signal generally flashes for seven days to give drivers a chance to adjust to and become aware of the presence of the light, said James Tyler, traffic signal supervisor with the N.C. Department of Transportation.The signal is scheduled to be fully operational today.

"We don't turn them on on Fridays or Mondays. People are real complacent when they're driving on Friday and Mondays," Tyler said. "Fridays they're in a hurry to get home and they don't pay as much attention, and Mondays they're a little groggy from the weekend. Studies show safety-wise it's not safe to turn them on Fridays or Mondays, or after a holiday."

One of main reasons for the installation of the new signal is the increased volume of traffic along Hammock Beach Road from additional housing developments, the soccer complex and the Catholic church.

"We have had accidents there. The concern and one of the reasons for the light is due to the growth of Hammock Beach Road, the growth of the housing developments and the traffic from them...so that was a safety concern, and we had actually been communicating with DOT for well over a year to get a light there," said Swansboro Police Chief Ed Parrish.

Mary Rawls, owner and operator of Mary Rawls Realty, which is located on Hammock Beach Road, is thrilled to have the new traffic signal in place.

"I can only say one word: Yay," Rawls said. "So whoever we have to thank for it - they're thanked."

Rawls said there have been numerous times that she has almost been hit pulling out into the middle turn lane on N.C. 24.

"We've gotten to the point where we call the middle lane the suicide lane," she said.

The police department hopes the new signal will provide an additional element of safety to the flow of traffic and reduce accidents and injuries, Parrish said.

Area citizens and the police department were an integral part of getting the new signal installed because they monitored traffic and kept the department informed, said Joe Chance, assistant division traffic engineer with the DOT.

Mayor Scott Chadwick said that many people in the community have been asking for that stoplight for a long time.

"The state kept saying it was a matter of funding. I would hope that sometimes funding becomes available because of how many ducks are barking. I think it was a collective community effort in just letting people know how important we thought it was and how concerned we were about citizen's safety," Chadwick said. "It was really needed there. We're just tickled - it was sorely needed."

Contact Swansboro/Western Carteret reporter Molly DeWitt at mdewitt@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8457.