Residents and faipule lobby to keep Ottoville Road stop signs

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — With the support of area residents, Rep. Larry Sanitoa has requested the Public Works Department “to leave the stop signs where they are now” at the four-corner intersection of Ottoville Road and Jason David Street.

“The Stop signs are helping slow the traffic down for motorists traveling thru this residential area,” Sanitoa wrote earlier this week to DPW leaders.

“Since Pacific Horizon School is within this Ottoville area, coupled with the corner store and laundromat, there is always a good number of pedestrians in the area most of the time,” he pointed out.

“Keeping the Stop signs will be beneficial in assuring the safety of pedestrians from the school and/or the store and laundromat,” he said, as area residents told Samoa News that they agreed with the Tualauta faipule that the stop signs are helping slow down traffic, as there are still motorists — especially at night time — using the Ottoville Road as a “race-way”.

Area residents also noted that the stop signs would be crucial to slow down traffic in the area, when schools resume later next month. They noted that students from nearby Kanana Fou High School and elementary school walk through Ottoville Road where there are no side-walks.

Meanwhile, Sanitoa expressed appreciation and “fa’afetai tele” to DPW for “all of the great work with our access roads to Fatuoaiga and the Hope House drainage. Residents and motorists have expressed their sincerest appreciation for the new roads.”