The City has made some decent safety improvements on Lincoln Street since a bicyclist was hit by a car and killed at the intersection of Franklin and Lincoln in 2004. Cobblestone rumble strips have been added, crosswalks and curb-cuts added, and the curb extended and parking eliminated between Mansfield and Royal Streets.
But it seems that we still don't have a particularly safe situation based on this damage to NSTAR's fence on Lincoln St just west of Mansfield.
Those rumble strips do absolutely NOTHING to slow most cars down. They're a complete joke. People either swing into the opposite lane to go around them, or they drive over them at full speed. It was a waste of our tax money which would have been better spent on the raised crossings - even if it meant spending more of it. Lincoln Street is a stop sign free straight away. Couple that with lighter traffic and we have a recipe for the senseless loss of lives. I'm not at all convinced that the rumble strip would have prevented Kirsten Malone's death.
ReplyDeleteI agree with t.s. about the futility of those rumble strips. Many cars either speed over them, or just drive around them into the oncoming traffic lane.
ReplyDeleteYesterday, as I slowed down to turn right from Lincoln St onto Franklin, I saw a pedestrian in the crosswalk and came to a stop before making my turn so he could cross. The car behind me zoomed past in the wrong lane at what seemed like around 45 MPH, nearly striking the pedestrian. It was pretty scary!
The exact same thing happened to me a few weeks ago. I found myself simultaneously stupefied and enraged by such a selfish and reckless move.
ReplyDeleteI drove past the NSTAR plant on Sunday 3/30 and that fence is still a mess. Is it that difficult for NSTAR to find the staff/time/money to fix the fence???
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