City to Add a Stop Sign to Busy Financial District Intersection

A new stop sign, to be added to this intersection of John and William streets, will halt northbound traffic on William Street. Photo: Amanda Woods/Tribeca Trib

A stop sign is coming to the intersection of William and John streets next week, the result of a push by Councilwoman Margaret Chin, who had been fielding concerns about the busy, sometimes dangerous, Financial District crossing.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Transportation said the decision was made following a traffic study that showed the intersection met the criteria for an additional stop sign, which will halt northbound traffic on William Street. There is now a sign for eastbound traffic on John.

Eu Ting-Zambuto, who lives on John Street near the intersection, said she alerted Chin’s office to the hazardous intersection after a car nearly hit her husband there about a year ago.

The corner is so dangerous, Zambuto said, because cars are allowed to park on the west side of William Street, creating a blind spot for pedestrians who find themselves jumping back onto the curb and drivers slamming on their brakes.

“Going north on William Street, it’s kind of on an uphill, so cars are really plowing,” Zambuto said. “What ends up happening is that pedestrians have to step into the street to check to see if cars are coming. By then, you’ve got a car that’s coming at you.”