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Date: 5/23/2022
SPRINGFIELD – Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Christopher Cignoli and members of the City Council Maintenance and Development subcommittee discussed improving the State Street crossing to Springfield City Library during their May 3 meeting.
Maintenance and Development Chair and City Councilor At-Large Jesse Lederman said the State Street crossing area remains a pedestrian safety risk despite discussions regarding the crossing over the last decade. Last November, a library employee and another pedestrian died in car accidents while crossing State Street in separate incidents.
President of the Armory-Quadrangle Civic Association Betsy Johnson, Vice President of the Armory-Quadrangle Civic Association Linda O’Connell, Springfield City Library representative Jessica Wemette, Walk Bike Springfield members Liz and Mike Stevens, Deputy Director of Springfield City Library Jean Canosa Albano and State Street resident Carol Costa also joined the meeting to discuss the project.
In response to the State Street concerns, Cignoli said he and his department settled on a plan that will narrow the roadway and create a refuge island in the middle of the street. Cignoli shared that the DPW plans to set up cones, barrels and barricades to “mimic the traffic situation” of the permanent development.
“When we start to look at the area and actually finish the formal design, we need to know what we need to tweak for traffic. The sidewalks there do not allow for a crosswalk to be put in temporarily,” said Cignoli.
The temporary set-up will be in place for 45 to 60 days, according to Cignoli. The DPW director expressed that the timeline will provide traffic analysis and help inform the final design for the State Street crossing area. Cignoli aspires for the DPW to begin construction on the crossing “as quickly as possible” after the test run.
“This is going to make life a lot easier…From a traffic and safety perspective, I think it will be much safer for the pedestrian,” said Cignoli.
Funding for the temporary project will derive from Chapter 90 funding. The set-up will cost around $15,000 to $18,000. For the project’s long-term implementation, Cignoli said the project could receive financial support from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). The full construction costs estimate around $650,000.
“I want everything to be 100 percent in place prior to school opening,” said Cignoli.
Costa expressed that the new plan “hits the sweet spot” in terms of its location. “Anything too much farther up State Street defeats the purpose of going across to the library. Watching people cross [there] for years, any crossway that’s too close to those driveways is very dangerous,” said Costa.
However, Johnson said she is unsure if the project addresses the speeding problems in the area.
“I don’t think it’s enough addressing the overall issue that cars go up and down State Street too quickly. Part of this design needs to also look at what additional signage in terms of speed detection [is needed] …I don’t think it solves enough of the State Street killing zone with just this,” said Johnson.
Cignoli stressed that the DPW will continue to refine the project as they look ahead to its long-term implementation.
On May 17, the city announced that the short-term traffic pattern is set for installation on June 1. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno expressed that the project will positively impact public safety.
“Simply put, this is not about money, it’s about public safety. This new design plan will enhance the safety for our pedestrians, and help control and mitigate the flow of traffic on one of our city’s busiest public roads,” said Sarno in the city’s press release.