Description

I am a homeowner on Beacon Street who uses the Beacon Street cross walk (to cross High Street) to get to Beacon Field several times a day. I am a full time land surveyor and spend a great deal of time in roadways on foot. This cross walk is one of the most dangerous ones I've ever dealt with. Drivers simply do not recognize that it is a cross walk. You can stand trying to cross and have 20 cars fly by without slowing down or yielding and they are pushing 40mph in a 30mph zone. It is a very busy intersection because Beacon is a favored crossway road between High and Federal in addition to the hospital traffic. Also, this is a major crosswalk because it provides access to Beacon Field. It has very heavy use whenever there is an event in Beacon Field. It is also regularly by school kids including the cross country team.

My request is that the town do whatever they can to make this a safer place for pedestrians to cross before someone gets hit. It has more traffic than the other cross walks on High Street. (I've had a few close calls and usually have to sprint to get across safely when traffic is busy). Maybe a sign that has blinking lights when a pedestrian hits a button? Maybe a cross walk sign in the median of the roadway? ANYTHING that would make the drivers realize they need to slow down and be looking for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Quincy Dewing
(413) 461-8780

71 Beacon Street
Greenfield, MA 01301