I have 30 years of safety mangement experience and will be glad to spend some time explaining my comment and reason(s) if necessary. Thank you.

I have said this a million times you have to pray you dont get hit going to dunkin no one knows there is a crosswalk and will sooner run you over before stoping before letting you cross

The mayor has big plans for Boston St, and someday there will be a major reconstruction. Meanwhile, that leaves the citizens at serious risk. Some crosswalk paint and police enforcement of pedestrian safety would help a lot while we are waiting.

Electrical Department assigned this issue to Salem Traffic & Parking

Good morning Peter you know by your experience that a complete design and review with Mass Dot has to be done and approved. How ever I agree with your short term resolution striping the crosswalks and signage.

Thanks, John. I appreciate the effort to get something done to protect the pedestrians.

I respectfully disagree that the nothing more than striping and signs should be done immediately. Even if pedestrians were directed to a sequence of crossing Proctor St and then cross Boston St to proceed to the Life Center the light cycle wouldn't allow for a reasonably acceptable of risk of crossing. It's unfortunate that pedestrian and cyclists injuries and deaths (including hit and runs) are too frequent today. Pedestrian incidents may not solve all of the risks of this intersection but it's my belief that they could be significantly reduced. The overall needs to address Boston Street issues continues to be long overview.

Do you have a proposal for a change to signage and light timing?

Why wait until someone is seriously hurt? Put something there in the meantime. What is the city waiting for a lawsuit? I've heard talk for 2 years now of "waiting" for Boston St. to be completed. Fix it before someome is killed!!

It is true one line of traffic doest even finish before the other light changes. The city dont care about this part of town Boston st overall is nothing but potholes and riped up road mean while the intersection with the most pedestrians crossing the street whether it's to Dunkin Donuts the Life Center Proctor's ledge Walgreens all above its very dangerous. We cant force cars to let us cross.

I understand that it is very difficult for people to be objective about the criticality of a problem in their neighborhood. Comments so far reinforce my belief that the Boston/Proctor/Goodhue/Bridge streets intersection is problematic and is in a need of immediate remediation. I suggest the City use a neutral traffic consultant to help determine if the problem fix needs to be addressed more expeditiously. There is some predictability in pedestrian injuries and I think this may be one of the situations. There is a time to act and a time to wait.

Still an open issue that needs to be fixed completely. Striping does not provide adaquate protection.

Definitely not closed.

Striping is great, but this is still an extremely dangerous intersection for pedestrians. Better signage and light timing should be instituted immediately, and more traffic-calming measures should be implemented ASAP. It is not acceptable to put people's lives at risk while waiting for a long-promised future.

This is very dangerous to be a pedestrian and cross any street. Many blind spots for vehicles. Major risk to all.

Still open, still dangerous.

Electrical Department assigned this issue to Engineering Department

it’s about properly timed traffic signals for cars AND crossing signals for pedestrians the #1 task here is immediate safety for all concerned, including the responsibility and integrity of the City Everyday i encounter this and no o e is required to have any more patience it’s time for citizens and responsible personnel to escalate this issue of negligence

The Mayor's Office assigned it to Traffic and Parking. (7/19). Traffic and Parking Department assigned it to Electrical Department (7/20). Electrical Department assigned it to Engineering Department (10/21).

Observations made 12/17/19 ~10:05-10:10 am

Two vehicles went through solid red light on Boston Street heading towards Peabody.
Four pedestrians near crossing, two pedestrian crossings at intersection in 5 minute period.

Recommend temporary camera system be used to monitor vehicular stop light compliance and crossing risk to pedestrians while issue remains unresolved.

Issue definitely open.

City will wait till go forbid someone gets seriouly hurt or worse killed before they do something

Good morning Everyone, I have some good news, the City is moving forward with installing pedestrian actuated buttons for all crossing lanes at this intersection. Engineering is completing all the details. This will for now make the intersection much safer for all. This is a short term solution. In the long term the intersection will be fully upgraded when Mass. Highway is finished with the RTE 107 upgrades which is scheduled to take place in a few years. City Electrician, John Giardi

Thank you, John Giardi! I can appreciate how difficult it is to modernize an old city like Salem and how even some (to me) obvious situations don't get addressed fast enough. Once the lights are put in we won't know if that will have saved some individual from getting hit but that's the nature of safety improvements. I've tried to be objective and my observations as pedestrian/cyclist hopefully were taken to be meant as honest attempts to bring a needed situation to higher place in the queue.

Thanks, John! Great news.

While I'm glad that we are apparently moving forward with this, until the lights are installed and working the issue should stay open. I would suggest the lights and street marking be installed so that pedestrians can cross the street diagonally. This would allow pedestrians to walk from the western part of Boston street to cross both Boston and Bridge streets more safely if they're going to the Life Center. This type of arrangement is used in North Hampton.

No change as of 8:48 am Tuesday February 18, 2020.

Still open

I tried cross him earlier today and actually had someone yelling at me while I was using the crosswalk it's impossible to cross that you hold your breath every time and people yell at the pedestrians because they are not understanding why we are not waiting with the timing of Lights we can't wait

Absolutely open item.

Good morning everyone we have some good news to share. The intersection has been reviewed and will be getting pedestrian actuated push buttons in the near future. I cannot give you the actual date yet. City Electrician John Giardi

Thank you for the good news, John. We are very anxious to see the lights. I hope you will consider the suggestion that the lights allow diagonal crossing with all vehicular traffic stopped.

What i am talking about near term is that we will have pedestrian push buttons on all corners to help pedestrians with crossing the streets. Long term is Mass. Highway will be reconstructing the intersection and upgrading the signals in approximately one to two years. Our intent is to make this as safe as we can in the near term.

No change as of 10:30 am 5/15/20.

Do you have a date yet, John?

Nope. Still open. Still a need. Definitely an open item.

It's appalling how long this has been allowed to fester.

Almost a year. Still open.

John Giardi, it'll be 3 months tomorrow since you promised "near term" to install pedestrian buttons on all corners. Any update?

Good Morning Peter Engineering should be able to give you an update call 745 9595 and ask for Engineering

Since there is an existing thread on this issue, I think it would be appropriate for the answer by the City be posted on this site since there is widespread interest.

Posting to follow this thread, I'm grateful this has remained open & active as long as it has.
Boston Street is in complete disrepair & needs a major overhaul, especially as more housing comes up.

I walked to the site in question....again. And....again. found no change as of 12:30 pm 8/13/20. I have done my part in reporting the situation and monitoring and posting on Clickfix a number of times. On 7/15 I requested that the City answer when the light issue would be addressed. I have done my part. Please either post (a) when the lights will be installed or (b) indicate that this issue will not be addressed. Incidentally today I noticed that drivers were on cell phones going through this intersection.

Open. STILL.

Open. Still.

I walked to the site in question this morning (11/12/20 9:49 am) to verify that the light situation is the same. I waited about 5 minutes to see how traffic behaved during light cycles. Within those five minutes two cars heading towards Peabody on Boston Street went through a solid red light. I've done my part by reporting the situation and monitoring it since I first reported it. It would be appropriate to have a response by the appropriate City department on the status of this. Thank you.

Contractor hired by the City has begun mobilizing to reconstruct Bridge Street. This will include geometric changes at the intersection with Boston Street which will also receive new pedestrian signals. Please click the link below to view plans and learn more about the project.

https://www.salem.com/city-engineer/pages/bridge-street-reconstruction

FYI, please note the potential complication with concurrent pedestrian signals. Note the WCVB piece on the subject. I don't have the expertise to advise the City but it will have to be evaluated as part of the resolution process. Thank you.

https://www.wcvb.com/article/concurrent-walk-signaling-puts-pedestrian-safety-in-spotlight/34661726#

Good morning All The City has not forgotten about the signals at Proctor/Bridge/and Boston Streets. The Construction is under way for the new building on the Corner and the pedestrian signals will be installed. City Electrician, John Giardi

Thanks, John. I appreciate the update. I also want to agree with the other commenter who raised concerns about concurrent lights. I think they create undue risks for pedestrians in order to speed traffic. The usual defense is, "Lots of cities have them." That is no comfort to the family of the man who was killed in Boston while walking with a "Walk" light, as reported by WCVB. Nor to the woman in that story who was mowed down and injured while walking with a "Walk" light. This system is bad at Essex & North, and it would be far worse at Boston & Bridge with its poor sight lines and sloping, angling approaches.

Condition same as of 12/13/20.

On site verification 1/10/21. Still open.

Verified to be open issue. 1/10/2021

Leave open

Still open

Visual in person inspection verified item needs to continue as an open item. 12:45 pm 3/15/21.

Verified on 4/11/2021 by in person visit to site that this issue has not been resolved.

Please publish expected completion date.

Visual verified item needs to continue as an open item (AGAIN). Am requesting a published expected completion date (AGAIN).

Next month, two years will have passed since I posted on this site that there is a need of pedestrian crossing lights at Bridge/Boston streets. No one has questioned the need of the project. I have been asked over 25 times in these past two years if this issue should be left "Open". Over 25 times I've stopped what I was doing to visually confirm the fact that the lighting project was still not resolved. Repeatedly I've in effect have asked the very basic project management question: "What is the anticipated completion date". I have yet to receive an answer. I understand the difficulties of the past year and a half because of CD-19. However, life and all of its non pandemic risks go on and this project should have a reasonable completed completion date. Other stakeholders deserve at least the respect of being told when the project should be done. This is project management 101. Thank you.

Thank you, S, for keeping the issue open and demanding accountability.

They are in the process of installing signals at that location. City Electrician John Giardi

Thanks for fixing this request!

6/11/2021. I made an actual observation of the site this morning. There still are no pedestrian lights. Respectfully, I consider the issue should be considered closed when the lights have been installed and are operational, not just assigned to a department. Since there is honest disagreement as to what should be considered a closed issue, I'm asking whoever administers the site for the City of Salem to give me guidance as to appealing the closed status. Note that since the only options on this site are to "leave the issue closed" or "reopen this issue" I picked the latter because it more closely (but not precisely) fits. Thank you for your consideration. S

I'm trying to not be difficult, but experience has taught me that projects should only be considered closed when they have been completed and acceptance tested. I have seen too many "Murphy Laws" that stymied completion of important projects. In all sincerity I have to consider this to to be an open case. I know that keeping this open is a pain for the department that is in charge and, trust me, it's a pain on my end. However, in good conscience I have to respectfully say that I think the issue should remain open until the lights are actually operational. I have nothing to gain from this and I wish to continue remain anonymous. For the sake of the city, the department, myself and anyone who may need the safety of the lights I look forward to a closing of this item. Thank you.

Once again, thank you, S, for keeping the issue open and demanding accountability.

The signal system has not been completed but a contractor was working on the project today (11:15 am 9/10) who said that he thought the work would be totally completed within a couple of weeks. So the issue should be technically considered to be open with the understanding that the end is in sight.

Their will be one soon hopefully by early fall 2021. City Electrician John Giardi

Electrical work done on the project area and I assume that project will be done reasonably soon. Light at the end of the tunnel!

Much construction activity in the area and assumption that completion of work made on 10/7 remains.

I crossed Boston Street twice yesterday and am glad and grateful to say that the lights were working! I realize that things, even important ones don't get done immediately and thank everyone involved for seeing this project through. One post script note: a new post from someone else said (issue ID 11580940) that the light stand was apparently hit and there was debris at the base. One the one hand that's sad but also reinforces the fact that the intersection was in need of added protection and the request wasn't a frivolous one. My final advice is for pedestrians to practice defensive walking (as well as driving) even if they use the lights the way that they are intended. S

This has been a long time coming and we appreciate the kind words. We are all happy that we could get this done. It was coordinated effort from a lot of people to get this done. Thank you for reporting the damaged base and we will take care of it.

City Electrician
John Giardi

Thank you for YOUR comments as well. Understanding each stakeholder's position is vital to good governance. Unfortunately in today's polarized world it doesn't happen nearly enough. I try to not be an armchair quarterback and fortunately have been on both sides of issues which has helped me to be balanced (at least that's what I'd like to think! LOL). Best, S