SPRINGFIELD — With foot traffic continuing to increase around the intersection of Birnie Avenue and Arch Street, the city is currently planning safety enhancements in that area to prevent any injuries or catastrophes from happening.
Mayor Domenic Sarno met with DPW Director Chris Cignoli, Ward 1 City Councilor Maria Perez and New North Citizens Council President Carmen Santana in mid-December 2024 to talk about different ways the city can improve safety measures in an area that has seen heavier car traffic and pedestrian crossing over the past couple years.
According to the city, construction of the new state-of-the-art Brightwood-Lincoln School, the pedestrian tunnel connecting Birnie Avenue to Plainfield Street under the railway tracks, and the increased activity of programs and services at the New North Citizens Council’s Youth Services Center have recently led to a significant increase in pedestrian traffic at the Birch Avenue and Arch Street intersection.
“DPW Director Chris Cignoli will carefully review this intersection and work with Councilor Perez and the New North Citizens Council as this roadway and pedestrian safety project gets underway.” Sarno said.
In an interview with Reminder Publishing, Jose Claudio, the chief operating officer for the New North Citizens Council, said that there is currently a walking light at the intersection, but with more children crossing now than a couple years ago because of the new school, he hopes the city can take the necessary measures to make sure everyone passing that area is safe.
“We have a lot of kids that stay for after school programs, so they’re crossing over in the dark, [and] it’s making really hard for them to even turn the light and cross over because some people are driving fast,” Claudio said.
According to police records from Public Information Officer Ryan Walsh, there have been 16 crashes since Jan. 1, 2021, at the Birnie Avenue and Arch Street intersection, which sits right next to the New North Citizens Council’s Youth Services Center and just before the entrance to I-91 south. Reminder Publishing also made a public records request to see how many of those involved pedestrians, but did not receive the records as of press time.
Claudio said that he hopes the city can maybe look at a traffic study and find ways to simultaneously make it easier for people to cross at the Birnie Avenue and Arch Street intersection while halting speedy drivers who are entering the Brightwood-Lincoln school zone, which has a 20-mile-per-hour speed limit.
“We just want to make sure that something can be done there to slow traffic, so no pedestrian gets killed,” he said.
Reminder Publishing also reached out to Perez for comment on safety concerns around this intersection, but did not hear back as of press time. She did, however, say in a statement that the current crosswalk at Birnie Avenue and Arch Street is not enough.
“With the activity at our New North Citizens Council Youth Services Center on Birnie Ave and the students and families that use the pedestrian tunnel to go between Birnie Avenue and Plainfield Street, the existing crosswalk at this intersection isn’t enough,” she said. “We need something to better enhance safety for our pedestrians and the vehicle traffic.”
Despite expressing her concerns, Perez said that she had faith in the city’s DPW department in putting together a plan that enhances safety in that area.
“I have the full confidence in DPW Director Chris Cignoli and his team of engineers that they will be able to find a workable solution to address this issue,” Perez said.
After the meeting with Sarno, Cignoli released a statement saying that the DPW will spend this winter crafting plans for safety measures at the intersection.
“The DPW will begin initial plans to review and advance the roadway and pedestrian safety enhancements at the intersection of Birnie Ave and Arch Street,” Cignoli said. “We’ll begin with the design phase this winter and anticipate this will go out to bid sometime in the spring or summer of 2025.”
