Agenda Text
title
Barry Rafkind submitting comments re: #200639, a raised crosswalk at the West Somerville Neighborhood School.
body
Official Text
To the Honorable Board:
While dropping off my daughter, Julia, at the WSNS this school year, I once witnessed a car go through the crosswalk in front of WSNS while the crossing guard was there. The driver was blinded by solar glare.
As you may know, there are serious and long-standing pedestrian safety issues around the West Somerville Neighborhood School and Teele Square which urgently need to be addressed for the safety of our children, parents, and neighbors.
Here are some recent quotes from other WSNS parents (see emails below):
Leiran Biton:
... we have had several "close calls" with cars, especially in the evening at pickup from afterschool.
... I've been nearly hit very many times at that spot (in front of the WSNS) by speeding commuters who don't seem to know (or care?) that there is a crosswalk there
Leah Ekblad
... a crossing guard at the speed bump on Curtis and Raymond street be strongly considered. I almost got nailed there walking back from drop off one morning with Caton in my arms.
Mark Jewell:
... my family has had many close calls...
... I witnessed a cyclist struck and injured by a motorist who made a right turn into the side of the cyclist, who had been traveling the same direction ...
Laura Beretsky:
After seeing an adult pedestrian nearly get hit in the WSNS crosswalk, WSNS Principal Kathleen Seward reached out to Ward Seven Alderman Katjana Ballantyne to discuss the possibility of putting a raised speed bump in the crosswalk.
Dan Rosan:
We need to improve traffic safety right in front of the school as quickly as possible.
North (St) is very narrow, extremely poor visibility, and it is an accident waiting to happen.
I would like to hear of some immediate as well as longer term actions that could be taken. Clearly, traffic studies are in order, if they haven't been done already. Some immediate steps might include putting out cones, plastic speed bumps (link <http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=speed+bump>), or plastic kid alert beacons like this (link to product page <http://www.walmart.com/ip/Step2-Kid-Alert-Visual-Warning-System/10983984>):
Some especially dangerous spots are:
in front of the WSNS School on Powderhouse Blvd
behind the WSNS School on Raymond Ave, especially when kids chase balls into the street
Teele Square intersection
Curtis St at Raymond Ave
Broadway midway between North St and Curtis St
North St between Broadway and Powderhouse Blvd
Some recurring issues are:
cars travel too fast near crosswalks
lack of signage near crosswalks
morning solar glare blinds drivers
lack of crossing guards or flashing lights in the dark evening period after Afterschool
Additionally, Laura Beretsky and I serve on the WSNS School Improvement Council which has been discussing pedestrian safety issues for school children as noted in the following meeting minutes:
Nov 2015 minutes <http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us/education/page/download.php?fileinfo=bm92ZW1iZXJfMThfc2NfbWludXRlcy5wZGY6Ojovd3d3L3NjaG9vbHMvc2MvcmVtb3RlL2ltYWdlcy9kb2NtZ3IvMTUwN2ZpbGUxNTA5Ny5wZGY=§iondetailid=17252> (pdf)
o Solar glare on Raymond in the morning is a concern. Could teachers be allowed to enter from Curtis? Could there be a police or crossing guard presence on Raymond? Plastic kid or speed bump?-portable speed bump?
Dec 2015 minutes <http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us/education/page/download.php?fileinfo=RGVjZW1iZXJfc2NfbWludXRlcy5wZGY6Ojovd3d3L3NjaG9vbHMvc2MvcmVtb3RlL2ltYWdlcy9kb2NtZ3IvMTUwN2ZpbGUxNTE0OC5wZGY=§iondetailid=17252> (pdf)
o Solar glare on Raymond Ave is dangerous right before 8:00. Kids run out of the yard to get a ball. There is solar glare on Powder House as well. Maybe a parent volunteer at gate of school yard. 7:50-8:10. Ask traffic and parking to take a look. Ped-ex sign?
WSNS Principal Seward tried to introduce a Walking School Bus initiative in the Fall, but it failed to attract enough parent volunteers. Perhaps some college students could be hired to help instead?
It would help to know of any related studies or reported accident statistics around West Somerville.
On July 14th last year, Ald. Ballantyne, Brad Rawson (Director of Infrastructure & Transportation) and Suzanne Rinfret (Director of Traffic & Parking) sponsored a well-attended Teele Square Mobility meeting that brought up many car/bike/pedestrian issues. It would be great to get an update since then and have another neighborhood meeting like that.
For reference, here's a link to the WSNS Safe Routes to School map <http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us/education/page/download.php?fileinfo=V1NOU19TYWZlX1JvdXRlX3RvX1NjaG9vbF9NYXBfMjAxMC5wZGY6Ojovd3d3L3NjaG9vbHMvc2MvcmVtb3RlL2ltYWdlcy9hdHRhY2gvMTM5NzUvNDQ3MF8xMzk3NV9hdHRhY2hfMTMzMC5wZGY=> (pdf) showing crossing guard locations.
Please let us know what can be done. Thanks for your commitment to keeping our kids safe!
Sincerely,
Barry Rafkind