A plan to improve pedestrian safety on a busy street in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts is about to be given a trial run.
The proposed redesign of lower State Street in front of the Springfield Central Library, where pedestrians have died attempting to cross, won praise for the most part from Metro Center residents and safety advocates during a hearing Tuesday evening by the Springfield City Council’s Maintenance and Development Committee.
Some of the changes will soon become a temporary reality when the city’s Department of Public Works puts cones and barrels out to gauge how traffic flow will be impacted by narrowing the street to one-lane in each direction, said DPW Director Chris Cignoli.
“We hope to have it in for 45-60 days, see what happens, adjust the design accordingly, finish the design and get it constructed as quickly as possible after that,” he said.
In addition to narrowing the block of State Street between Eliot and Maple Streets, a raised crosswalk will be built, and a HAWK ( High intensity Activated crossWalK) signal device will be installed.
“A HAWK system is a green, yellow, red traffic signal that when a pedestrian is getting ready to cross ( the street) they push a button, the yellow light flashes and then the red stopping traffic so the pedestrian can safely cross,” Cignoli explained.
He said his goal is to have construction wrapped up by the end of August.
The proposed safety improvements were praised by City Councilor Maria Perez.
“When crossing that street, you’re praying you don’t get hit by a car, so Chris I give you thanks and your team for the efforts to bring this project along,” Perez said.
Carol Curdo, a resident of the Classical High Condominiums, said she’s watched for decades as people put their lives at risk crossing State Street in midblock right where the raised crosswalk is planned.
“In my humble opinion, I think you have really hit the sweet spot in terms of the crossing,” Curdo said.
As part of the safety upgrades, there should be signs warning drivers on State Street to slow down before they get to the lane reductions, suggested Betsy Johnson, president of the advocacy group Walk Bike Springfield.
“Even radar detection signs, warnings of pedestrians’ crossing, warnings that this is a heavy pedestrian area,” Johnson suggested.
City Councilor Jesse Lederman, chair of the Maintenance and Development Committee, said he’ll schedule another hearing after the 60-day mock-up of the proposed traffic pattern change is finished.
“It’s been an issue that has been discussed for more than a decade in this area and one that is very important to myself and colleagues on the Council relative to improving pedestrian safety for residents, library patrons and employees,” Lederman said.
The longstanding safety concerns came to a head late last year when Springfield City Library employee Gayle Ball died after she was struck by a car attempting to cross State Street.
Several library staffers remotely attended Tuesday night’s hearing.
