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MassDOT and Springfield outline design changes for Sumner/Dickinson/Belmont "X" to improve safety, add bike and pedestrian facilities
Summary
At a public information meeting, MassDOT and the City of Springfield described a multi‑year reconstruction of the "X" intersection at Sumner Avenue, Dickinson Street and Belmont Avenue that will add new signals, pedestrian phases, bike lanes, plazas and changes to local turning patterns intended to reduce cut‑through traffic and improve safety.
Massachusetts Department of Transportation officials and City of Springfield staff on the night of a public information meeting described a reconstruction of the intersection of Sumner Avenue, Dickinson Street and Belmont Avenue intended to update traffic signals, add pedestrian and bicycle facilities and create new plazas in the Forest Park neighborhood.
The project team said the work will keep two through lanes on Sumner Avenue while adding a dedicated left‑turn lane from Sumner to Dickinson, new traffic signals with pedestrian phases, continuous bike facilities that switch between on‑street and off‑road where needed, and small public plazas at the Belmont/Sumner corners.
Chris Signoli, director of the City of Springfield Department of Public Works, described the corridor as “antiquated,” saying crosswalks and bicycle accommodations do not meet current standards and traffic volumes have increased “probably doubled, tripled in the past 20 years.” He said the design keeps the basic two‑lane through pattern on Sumner but adds signal and turning improvements to reduce neighborhood cut‑through traffic.
The city and consultant drawings presented at the meeting show several geometric and traffic‑pattern changes: Ormond Street will become one‑way northbound behind the commercial block; Belmont Avenue near the X will be reconfigured so the approaches out of the X flow differently (including a one‑way segment and added on‑street parking in some sections); and Cliffwood and Lennox streets will have their directions swapped in places to manage local movements. The team also plans new pedestrian crossings at Cliffwood/Taco Bell, a protected crossing near the Forest Park entrance and signalized crosswalks at most intersections within the project limits.
Design consultant representatives said bicycle facilities will be a mix of off‑road paths where right‑of‑way allows and on‑street bike lanes where geometry requires, and that bus stop locations will be improved and coordinated with the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority.
Victor Davila, Springfield city councilor for Ward 6, urged the team to incorporate resident concerns into final plans, saying, “This is not a want. This is a project that it's critical for safety.” Several residents at the meeting pressed for clearer illustrative plans and traffic simulations so the public can see how daily movement and turn restrictions will operate once the project is built.
Discussion versus decision: the presentation described the built design elements and intended traffic pattern changes; no final legislative or permitting decision was taken at the meeting. The project team said the design shown reflects years of public input and earlier plan revisions, and that a revised illustrative ("pretty") plan would be posted online soon for public review.
Ending: Project officials encouraged residents to sign up for the project subscription portal and to attend future public hearings; they said the construction phase will be overseen by MassDOT in coordination with the City of Springfield and the chosen contractor.
