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August 20, 2008

City X's out Cabot crosswalk

By Paul Leighton

BEVERLY — The city has eliminated a crosswalk on Cabot Street, hoping to make it safer for pedestrians.

Department of Public Works Director Michael Collins admitted that might sound "counterintuitive," but he said there are too many crosswalks on downtown Cabot Street, and one fewer will actually help pedestrians.

"You don't want a crosswalk everywhere," he said. "You want it where it's safest to cross."

The subject of downtown crosswalks came up last year after a 66-year-old woman was seriously injured when she was hit by a pickup truck while crossing Cabot Street. Some speculated there are too many crosswalks in the main downtown area, causing frustration for drivers who have to constantly stop and start.

Collins took advantage of the recent paving of Cabot Street to eliminate one of the two crosswalks that cross Cabot Street between Abbott and Bow streets. When city workers went to lay the crosswalks back down (they're made of thermal plastic, not paint), Collins said he decided to forgo the one that runs between the First Baptist Church and China Buffet.

Collins said pedestrians had to step out from behind parked cars at that crosswalk. Now they just have to walk about 30 feet to use the crosswalk that runs between Adventure Travel and Bell Market.

"I don't think anyone's going to notice a crosswalk not being there because they were so close together," he said.

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