The city of Springfield is close to finishing a special crosswalk downtown after years of discussion – aiming to slow traffic in a spot that’s been the scene of several pedestrian deaths over the years.
For years, residents, librarians and local leaders have called for something to be done on State Street outside the city’s Central Library, where drivers heading downhill tend to speed up and crosswalk options are limited.
A decade ago, 7-year-old Destiny Gonzalez was killed by a drunk driver while crossing near the library with her mother and 8-year-old cousin – both also injured.
Librarian Gayle Ball was struck and killed while crossing the street in 2021. And last year, resident Michael Cooley was hit and killed by a driver while crossing in the same area.
It’s been the subject of protest, including pickets by librarians in 2023. Over the past few months, a response has taken shape.
Chris Cignoli is the head of the Springfield Department of Public Works.
“The goal here is to slow people down, slow people down, slow people down,” Springfield DPW Director Chris Cignoli told WAMC, standing beside a large, elevated crosswalk that’s been causing cars, buses and trucks to pump their brakes when passing the library. “Certain stretches of certain roadways in the city, especially State Street - people travel way, way, way, way, way too fast - and in this section here, with... a lot of housing, the library, people crossing the street, students - this here is meant to slow people down, if not stop them, because when a pedestrian is crossing the street, [there’s] actually going to be a red light. It's not going to be just a flashing yellow light - it will be a red light.”
Cignoli, joined by Mayor Domenic Sarno, members of the Springfield state legislative delegation and other city officials Wednesday marked progress that’s being made on the large speed hump and crosswalk infrastructure going up in front of the library.
A sizable grant from MassDOT as well as the city’s Chapter 90 funds are supporting the work, which involves a raised crosswalk, a median refuge island and, essential to most road diets, a narrowing of State Street from two lanes to one on both sides.
That leg of the work has cost $350,000, with MassDOT’s Shared Streets and Spaces grant covering more than two-thirds. With a HAWK light system to be installed in the next month, Cignoli estimates the final paving work should be wrapping up shortly.
Getting the funding was key to making progress, Cignoli says. Another key component, according to Springfield Representative Carlos Gonzalez – calls for change from the public.
“It's the outcry from the community,” he said. “For years, tragedy … has happened in this street here in front of us, and being able to have $240,000 from state dollars go to address the cries from the community and the tragedy that has happened here is how government should work. The only bump in the road that we like is a speed bump, and this can hopefully slow traffic down, [and] save lives.”
Another component of the project – a small parking lot alongside Central Library to reduce the number of pedestrians needing to cross State Street to begin with.
Freshly paved and painted, the lot with about two dozen spots cost about $323,000 and was the product of an agreement between the city and the neighboring Diocese of Springfield, Cignoli says.
Whether it’s the raised crosswalk or the lot, Library Director Molly Fogarty says the work is vital to Central Library – with its hundreds of thousands of annual visitors.
“For our staff, that means they have a safe way of getting to work and for our public … literally, we have close to 400,000 people that use this library every year - busiest public building in the city of Springfield - and so for their families … when they bring children, their families to a story hour, to a program, they can cross safely,” Fogarty told WAMC. “That means a lot to us.”
Sarno says Springfield has been making headway on improving pedestrian safety across the city, with similar improvements being made at crosswalks in around 30 different spots.
The city recorded at least seven fatal pedestrian crashes in 2023, according to WalkMassachusetts – only one less than the far larger Boston.
At least six have occurred through September of this year, according to the Hampden District Attorney’s Office.
Sarno also noted even with the pedestrian infrastructure in place, caution is no less a requirement.
“Even with all these bells and whistles, that doesn't mean that drivers are going to pay attention or pedestrian are going to pay attention,” Sarno said. “We do this in memory, again, of Gayle Ball… and Mike Cooley, Judge [Sidney] Cooley’s son ... also all those who have [been] injured and hurt.”
