Really important. I've come horribly close to being run over. And as a driver, have been in some close calls with joggers who just fly out from the path without making sure cars have noticed them.

Nice to see this issue come up again. I and others in a nearby neighborhood brought this up over 2 years ago with See Click Fix but I am unable to locate our initial complaint. Since then several accidents have occurred and multiple pedestrian near misses. Mayors office refers to traffic and engineering department. Two of us met with councilmen Dominguez and Dibble and they assured us they would look into it. Problem is cars approach this crosswalk at 35 to 40 mph. Current flashing light bars are inadequate. A dedicated traffic light from both directions that will turn red when requested in addition to more signage is needed. On occasion police will monitor this site but it is hit or miss when someone comes along from the trails so we can't expect police to sit there for extended periods. I've been told traffic lights are expensive but do we need to wait for someone to be seriously injured or killed to take the appropriate action to fix this. Shame on our city government for not addressing this very dangerous crosswalk.

Dibble and Dominguez are worse than useless about this.

Howard Graves
I was one of the two people that met with Dibble and Dominguez on this issue. There has been no follow up from either of them. The city and DPW is looking for a huge lawsuit when this gets ugly. A lot more money than the cost of a traffic light.

This was designed to make this safer for pedestrians to cross and move traffic better at the same time. Drivers are supposed to have enough common sense to slow down and stop if necessary when a person is in the crosswalk. It is a Mass. Law that you stop and let people cross when in a crosswalk. City Electrician, John Giardi

The only other think of is to petition Mass. highway to make the Flashing light bars Red instead of yellow. City Electrician, John Giardi

Thanks, John - I understand the reasoning but in practice drivers aren't using their common sense or following the law.

That is definitely worth a try. Thank you for this helpful suggestion

There are other dedicated pedestrian traffic lights on Lafayette Street that are green, turn yellow and then red when activated to cross the street. This is very dangerous crosswalk and deserves the same consideration. Mass Law will not drill any common sense into careless drivers. Do we really have to lose another life to have the city do what is right. If the city can't afford to do this, then maybe they can ask the state for help.

With due respect Mr. Giardi, we all clearly understand why and how the existing apparatus was installed.  Please read the item again as well as the comments,  and you will umderstand that this is a request to FIX the poorly functioning status quo. 

There are numerous options to this hazardous crossing that should be considered.  First, install very directional illumination of the crossing,  such that it does not shine in drivers eyes but only illuminates the crossing area. Second, install better advance warning signage to motorists via road paint and/or signposts.  Additionally,  put large signage on the pedestrian paths indicating that they MUST press the button for traffic to stop. And yes, changing the color of flashing sign to red would be an improvement...but really, as the original posting indicates, the best option is to install a flashing green stoplight with a crosswalk countdown timer. 

Since moving to the Boston area several years ago I have been dumbfounded at how badly streets and intersections are managed and designed here. The idea that "People who live here know that intersection so they slow down," is a ridiculously backwards and dangerous way to run a city's infrastructure. 

Right on, Mr P.

Well put Mr P.

Because this issue continues to be ignored or not deemed serious enough by whichever city department is responsible for addressing this issue, I have sent an email to Mayor Driscoll requesting her help. Of note this is the second time a concerned citizen brought this issue up in Salem Clix Fix. I also registered my concerns on this site on 7/26/18. Issue ID 4722495 and it was viewed 251 times. Hopefully Mayor Driscoll will pursue this to a satisfying conclusion which of course is pedestrian safety.

Thank you so much for your help, Robert. I really appreciate it.
Vanessa

Have yet to receive a reply from the mayors office regarding my email to the mayor regarding this dangerous crosswalk.

Issue 4722495 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue.

Mayor's Office assigned this issue to Traffic & Parking

Thank you for taking the time to submit this request.

First, re: the suggestion of a signal at this location similar to others on Lafayette, those other signals are no longer compliant with state and federal regulations. This means the City cannot install any new signals like that, we can only maintain what we had previously installed.

Second, we are ordering new signage for this crossing that will be higher visibility. We are also going to relocate the advance warning signage for vehicles traveling northbound from Marblehead. The signage of this direction is currently too close to the crossing to give drivers ample warning and is somewhat obscured by other signage on the road.

Finally, we will also be installing flex posts at the crossing to further delineate the travel lanes and pedestrian areas as an additional cue to drivers to look for pedestrians and cyclists at this crossing. We may wait until spring to install the posts as they can be damaged by snow removal.

Thank you again for submitting this request.

Disappointed that a dedicated signal can't be installed but appreciative that an effort is being made to improve pedestrian safety. Will the flex post have to be removed each winter? Is cost a factor in installing signals that would meet federal regulations? Again thank you for addressing this issue.

Re: flex posts, they can stay in through the winter, but we like to try avoiding installing them during winter. We want to give drivers time to get sued to them being there without snow, and when we can we want to avoid having to change our instructions to plow operators mid-season.

Re: a signal, yes cost is a factor and in two ways. First, to determine if a traffic signal could be installed, we would need to conduct what is known as a "warrant analysis." This is an engineering study that looks at all of the variables and factors at the location including vehicular volume, pedestrian and bicycle counts, street geometry, and speed, among others. This isn't a study the City can conduct on its own, and we would need to hire a consultant to do so. Second, there is the actual cost of the traffic signal infrastructure. This is something measured in the hundreds of thousands for a new signal, with all the related electrical work with it. The existing RRFB at this location is solar powered and significantly less expensive to install and maintain.

We will keep everyone informed as we move forward with procuring the new signs, getting them installed, and a timeline for the posts as well.

Thank you for the information and quick response to my inquiry.

End of June and the issues with this cross walk have yet to be addressed. I bring this up again because yesterday I witnessed a mother with 2 children nearly hit. Drivers from Salem did stop and as they began to cross a driver coming from Marblehead ignored the flashing yellow light bar and drove on through the crosswalk. Going on 2 years since our initial concerns were raised. Please if possible address this issue as soon as possible.

Thank you Robert for keeping this going. Frustrating lack of attention by city officials. Perhaps Covid era $ deficits are preventing progress

I wish that was true but 2 years later I'm starting to believe that if they ignore our concerns the problem will go away till some one is hurt or killed. So sad.

I walk across there on occasion with my dog and I agree that the flashing yellow lights are insufficient.
As a driver I realize that the flashing lights do not attract my attention as much as they should. I always stop for pedestrians but many times do not see the lights until it is too late to stop.

The saga continues. Today as I waited to enter Lafayette St from Rosedale St, I witnessed 3 cars traveling from Marblehead ignore the flashing yellow light bar as a pedestrian had entered the crosswalk. Nice to see the flex post have been installed but not sure how they will protect anyone or slow the traffic down. Because traffic from Marblehead is traveling up an incline flex post are not immediately seen by approaching traffic.

Well the flex post have been up for approximately 2 weeks and today 5 of them are now lying on the pavement. Just a matter of time before a tragedy occurs.

4 flex post lying on the pavement yesterday, today 2 of those post remain on the pavement the other 2 have disappeared. As vehicles wait to enter Rosedale the traffic from Marblehead pass these cars on their right so I'm assuming that's how the post are hit. Somehow the traffic needs to be slowed down. It's just a matter of time before as I've stated again and again that a tragedy will occur.

Well today only 6 flex post remain standing. Obviously this attempt at pedestrian safety has not worked. Hopefully the city will attempt a different approach to ensure pedestrians are protected while attempting to us this crosswalk that connects the Marblehead walking trail to the Salem trail.

Several flex post down or missing again. I have sent another E-Mail to mayor Driscoll with our concerns.

Maybe we should get the Marblehead Reporter involved.