Broken light at busy intersection unsafe

WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) - A broken traffic light at a busy four way intersection has a lot of drivers concerned about their safety.
        
 The light at West Main Street and Thomaston Avenue in Waterbury has been broken for almost a month. People in Waterbury want to know why the fix is taking so long.
       
For the past month, the intersection of Thomaston and West Main has caused chaos.

Drivers coming from all four directions are faced with stop signs and flashing red lights.

"Common sense would tell you to stop let one car go and then somebody else would stop, if they would and then let another car go, but everybody's in a hurry," said Millie Rhodes of Waterbury.

The light broke on Jan.6, when a car accident took out the box controlling the lights.

Peter Kochiss of Waterbury drives through the dangerous intersection everyday. He called News 8 for help with hopes of getting the light fixed quickly.

"I come through here every morning, come back the other way in the afternoon. Seems like nobody knows how to work the stop signs, you don't have one car going you have three or four going at the same time, no regard for people what so ever," said Kochiss.

The city's Deputy Public Works Director said the equipment is very old. He was originally told by the vender that it would take ten weeks to locate and install the needed parts.

The system in place now is the safest possible short term solution. For local drivers the permanent fix can't come soon enough.

"You get scared trying to manuever that thing, yes absolutely yeah," said Cory Stevenson of Watertown.

Public Works told News 8 that since given the original estimate of ten weeks, they've come up with an alternative plan that shouild have the lights back to normal by the end of next week.
   
According to the Department of Public Works, the cost to repair the traffic light is roughly $20,000.