JOSH DAVIS/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
Traffic safety coming out of the Oceans East apartment complex on Seahawk Road is a concern of two Berlin Councilmen. Both Dean Burrell and Elroy Brittingham last week compared new traffic patterns there to an accident waiting to happen.

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Oct. 18, 2018) Several Berlin officials last week expressed concerns about new traffic patterns on Seahawk Road caused by the Oceans East apartment complex.

Councilman Dean Burrell said navigating the road is confusing – and potentially dangerous.

“It really needs work,” Burrell said. “The way that it is lined up and striped, it is a disaster waiting to happen because the far right lane, it just doesn’t go nowhere. And somebody that’s not familiar with it … can have a problem.”

Councilman Elroy Brittingham agreed.

“The directional traffic there is so confusing,” he said. “I’m just waiting for an accident to happen.” He said many school buses as well as student drivers travel that road each day. “Stephen Decatur High School has more students driving to school than any school in the county.

“I don’t know how you got it approved … the way the traffic flows,” Brittingham told developer Blair Rinnier. “It’s really confusing … that traffic pattern is really messed up. It’s just waiting to have an accident.”

Rinnier, attending the Town Council meeting on Tuesday to request 24 additional EDUs for the still in-progress development, said the road was built “per the approved plans” and he had since met with school officials and representatives from the town to change some of the striping.

Mayor Gee Williams said installing traffic reflectors could be an inexpensive solution to the problem.

Planning Director Dave Engelhart, in an email Friday, said town officials recently had an onsite meeting to go over an inspection and punch list for the complex.

“The town’s engineers have communicated the need to mill and overlay for a final topcoat of the paving,” Engelhart said. “Once that is done it would be restriped.

“We previously had met with [the] school board, Worcester County Sherriff’s Department and Berlin Police Department to establish the roadway markings and signage they wanted to see put in place. This step will probably need to be repeated,” he added.