Medford council refers pedestrian-safety resolution for Boston Avenue and High Street to Public Works committee

The Medford City Council voted to refer a resolution seeking traffic-calming measures and a pavement-marking update for the Boston Avenue and High Street intersection in West Medford to its Public Works & Facilities Committee.

The measure, Resolution 25,152, was introduced following a letter dated Sept. 28, 2025 from 10-year-old Victoria Borowski that described a dangerous crossing on her walk to school and noted a prior petition of roughly 159 signatures. "Dear Medford City Council, my name is Victoria, and I'm 10 years old... Recently, my friend got hit by a car on that street," the letter read when Councilor Lemming read it aloud to the chamber.

Councilor Lazaro described similar problem intersections in the neighborhood and outlined interim measures the traffic department has used elsewhere, such as paint and plastic delineator posts, noting that full ADA-compliant crosswalks often require curb cuts that are expensive and time-consuming. "In the meantime, you can put barriers made of plastic, you can put painting on the ground and it does make it safer as an interim measure and it's much less expensive," she said. The council invited Traffic and Transportation Director Todd Blake to present an update on the pavement-marking plan for the High Street corridor and other potential safety measures.

After discussion the council voted to refer the resolution to the Public Works & Facilities Committee for further study and possible action.

The referral directs staff and the committee to evaluate interim and longer-term traffic-calming steps and to coordinate with the traffic commission and transportation engineer for options that balance safety, accessibility and cost.