56 Highland Avenue Letter opposed to request for 4' fence at 56_58 Highland AveFrom:Patricia Morsillo
To:Dan Laroe
Cc:David Kucharsky; David M. Tucker; Christina Hodge
Subject:Letter opposed to request for 4" fence at 56/58 Highland Ave
Date:Wednesday, August 14, 2024 12:54:30 PM
Board of Appeals Members,
I am writing in opposition to the proposed (and currently under construction) fence at the
corner of Proctor St and Highland Ave at 56/58 Highland Avenue, due to decreased visibility at
the intersection resulting in pedestrian and traffic safety issues.
The City has been working on pedestrian and traffic safety issues on Proctor Street for the past
three years. Two years ago, the City invested in traffic calming measures that were long
overdue. Specific to this project was daylighting the intersection of Proctor Street and
Highland Avenue due to pedestrian complaints about safety: the crosswalk along Highland
Avenue crossing Proctor Street was painted, parking lanes on Proctor Street were painted and
parking was restricted away from the corner.
As you know, Highland Avenue is heavily traveled by pedestrians: students attending the
Collins Middle School, Salem High School and the Horace Mann School. Proctor Street is the
main access to Gallows Hill Park for many students and children. And this is a dense
residential neighborhood which also includes Salem Hospital, which residents access by
foot.
Proctor Street, unfortunately, has become a cut-through street for drivers traveling between
Boston Street/Peabody and the Hospital, schools, and other destinations on Highland
Avenue. This is the reason the traffic calming measures were needed so desperately. Visibility
at that intersection is important for driver safety, as that intersection has seen several
crashes.
The inclusion of this fence obstructs the view of drivers approaching Highland Ave. It will
result in the default behavior of NOT stopping before the crosswalk to wait for clear access to
turn, but rather simply rolling right up to the corner to see around the fence.
I tested the visibility at this corner, and found that I needed to pull into the crosswalk to have
appropriate visibility to safely turn. I have worked with the previous Ward 4 Councilor and the
City to make this intersection safer, and the fence has resulted in a negation of these efforts.
I ask that you support the City’s efforts to keep crosswalks and intersections safe for all who
use them, and deny this request.
I have included Lt. Tucker (Traffic Division) and David Kucharsky (Department of
Transportation) on this letter, as they were involved in the traffic calming design and
implementation on Proctor Street.
Sincerely,
Patti
Patti Morsillo
Salem City Councilor, Ward 3
978-317-4697
pmorsillo@salem.com
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