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Residents urge action after two August fatalities on Chicopee Street
Summary
Residents and neighborhood leaders told the council they want more outreach and safety measures after two recent traffic fatalities on Chicopee Street and slower driving in problem corridors.
Several residents told the City Council at public input Sept. 2 that the city should increase outreach and safety measures after two vehicle fatalities on Chicopee Street in August. Lisa Bienvenue, who identified herself as a resident, said she found a sign in the City Hall elevator advertising the Safe Streets for All planning effort and urged more community engagement: “our goal is simple but powerful, to eliminate roadway deaths and serious injuries in Chicopee,” she said.
Pastor Andrew Floyd of Chicopee Church of God told the council a drunk driver recently damaged his church steps and that he received no notice from police. “I am so shocked and appalled to hear that there had been 2 fatalities in that area,” he said, urging stepped-up enforcement and physical changes to slow traffic where children walk to school.
Speakers asked that the Safe Streets for All outreach be made more visible and easier to use; one resident said the project website and QR-code flyer were not user-friendly. Several public commenters recommended police monitoring, temporary traffic-calming measures and better notice to affected property owners when crashes occur. The council did not take an immediate formal vote on new traffic measures during the meeting; several councilors said they would refer specific engineering requests to DPW and the city engineer for review.
