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Residents warn of pedestrian danger as Winter Street congestion and Crest Road detours increase speeds
Summary
Neighbors described speeding on Winter Street and dangerous detours onto narrow Crest Road during pipe/road work; the commission agreed to study crosswalk upgrades and signal timing and to revisit a broader plan in May.
Multiple residents from the Crest Road and Winter Street neighborhoods told the commission that Winter Street congestion and detours have turned Crest Road into a narrow, high‑speed cut‑through that threatens pedestrians, schoolchildren and park users.
Rob Adamson, of Crest Road, described the stretch near Keith Tech and Cushing Park as “an accident waiting to happen,” saying drivers frequently exceed the speed limit and that detours or construction push additional traffic onto narrow two‑way neighborhood streets. Salvatore Jerlandino and John A. (surname not provided) echoed the concern, recommending a uniform 20 mph limit on Winter Street, flashing beacons at the park crosswalk and an additional crosswalk to park entrances.
Commission staff said prior consultant studies (2015 and 2018) examined congested intersections at Winter Street and Salem End Road and proposed signal‑timing tweaks and, for larger work, turn lanes—measures that would likely be a multi‑million‑dollar capital project (staff cited a 2018 estimate of about $1.1 million in construction; recent cost escalation makes that figure substantially higher today). Staff recommended first reviewing previously proposed low‑cost signal timing adjustments and locating options such as Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at the Cushing Park crossing.
The commission agreed to continue study, coordinate a targeted review of crosswalks and timing adjustments, and to return with a plan in May; Crest Road concerns may be handled as a related but separate agenda item to ensure focused attention. No construction work was approved at the meeting.
