Somerville Lawmakers Visit Troubled Intersections

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On Friday, May 20^th, I joined legislators and staff, local officials, and MassHighway administrators and engineers for a visit to the pedestrian crossings at Washington St. and Medford St. and Somerville Ave. and Medford St. in Somerville.  Among those in attendance were State Senator Pat Jehlen, Somerville Alderman Maryann Heuston, Jim Henry of State Senator Sal DiDomenico’s office, and Mike Lambert, director of Transportation and Infrastructure for the City of Somerville.

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An overhead view of the intersection at Washington Street and Medford Street


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The intersection at Somerville Ave and Medford St.

Local residents have expressed concerns about the safety of the pedestrian crossings at these intersections for a number of reasons. They are both long pedestrian crossings without signals, and the absence of “No Turn on Red” signs at both intersections could potentially increase the risk of pedestrians being injured by turning vehicles. These conditions combined with the higher speeds that traffic moves on these multi-lane streets make these crossings potentially dangerous, especially to elders and pedestrians walking with small children.

Sen. Jehlen and I at the Somerville Ave intersection.

MassHighway officials have committed to conducting an analysis of the two intersections in order to determine what kinds of changes should be made, and will present options for safety improvements to the City and the state delegation. I’m looking forward to seeing their recommendations, and I will be sure to use this space to provide updates on the progress of the improvements.