4-way stop signs to be installed at Ottoville Rd & Jason St.

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Following a site visit late last week, a decision was reached for a 4-way stop to be installed at the intersection of Jason David Street — the street where Pacific Horizon School is located — and Ottoville Road, a very busy street with lots of both vehicles and foot traffic. Adding to the ‘busy’ is a ma & pa store and laundromat located on the other side of Ottoville Rd.

Rep. Larry Sanitoa wrote recently to two Public Works Department officials thanking them, as well as Deputy Police Commissioner Fo’ifua Fo’ifua Jr. and his team for making time late last week to visit the road site at Jason David Street in the Ottoville area “to discuss the best option to address the safety of our residents and motorists.”

“Thank you for agreeing to have 4-way stop signs installed at the intersection of Jason David Street and Ottoville Road, not only for the safety of motorists who are exiting Jason David Street but to slow down speeding motorists traveling on the Ottoville Road,” Sanitoa wrote.

He recalled that residents of the Ottoville area have continually expressed concerns on the lack of safety speed limit measures or devices to slow down motorists frequenting Ottoville road. In addition, there are no sidewalks on the street and residents, especially young people, are literally using the road as a walkway. 

“Rep. Sam Meleisea and I will continue to work with you and your team to address many road improvements and the safety needs of our district,” Sanitoa concluded.

Pacific Horizon Schools started its 2021- 22 school year this week and students frequent the ma & pa store.

No information was available yet as to when the 4-way stop signs will be installed but residents around the area were pleased when Samoa News told them about this development for the area. “It’s long overdue, especially with school back and for the safety of students from Pacific Horizon,” said one resident.

Another one said that there’s a lot of hope that the new Police Commissioner, Lefiti A. Pese and the new Administration would do something about this particular intersection. “There’s a stop sign to exit Jason Street, but that doesn’t help [with] the speeding motorists who go through Ottoville road,” the resident said and suggested that police should come around frequently to patrol this area.