The traffic light at a busy Hudson Valley intersection is being taken down and drivers are not happy about it.

It was announced this week that workers will be removing a traffic light in the Town of Poughkeepsie. The project is expected to take place on Thursday and drivers are being warned of delays as the light is taken down and replaced with stop signs.

The work will take place at the intersection of Cedar Street and Fairview Avenue, not far from Marist College. Those who frequent this intersection are boggled by the decision to remove the light.

Comments on the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department's Facebook page range from confusion to outrage over the decision to get rid of the traffic light. Residents point to the fact that there's a playground at the intersection and that many off-campus Marist students walk up and down that stretch of Cedar Street throughout the day.

Cedar and Fairview Intersection - Google Maps
Cedar and Fairview Intersection - Google Maps
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Jess Marie Murphy says she was hoping that they would actually expand the light instead of taking it away.

As someone who walks through here to the playground with my toddler, I've often thought a cross signal would be useful. Eliminating the traffic light seems an odd choice to me.

Murphy isn't alone. Jacquie Tippa calls the decision to remove the light "absolutely the craziest thing I’ve read all day." Darlene Stalter makes a point that the light was originally installed to replace a four-way stop that was already there.  "We should be making improvements, not moving backwards. Bad, Bad idea!!"

Cedar and Fairview Intersection - Google Maps
Cedar and Fairview Intersection - Google Maps
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As someone who travels through this area every day I'm also confused by the decision. I think the town may have made a terrible mistake and is actually replacing the wrong traffic light on Cedar. Further east on Cedar there's a useless traffic light at the intersection with Buckingham Avenue. I rarely ever encounter any cars crossing Cedar from Buckingham, but that light always seems to be red. I've seen cars get impatient and run the red while sitting there and never seeing anyone appear on Buckingham. Why on earth would they keep that light but eliminate the one at a busy intersection next to a playground?

Buckingham Ave Light - Google Maps
Buckingham Ave Light - Google Maps
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Some have suggested that a four-way stop would be safer than a traffic light because everyone would need to stop at the intersection and cars wouldn't be inclined to "race to beat the light."

I guess time will only tell if this decision will actually make things safer on Cedar Street or not. In the meantime, drivers are being warned of traffic delays on Thursday as crews make the transition to a four-way stop.

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