Church Street Crosswalk Rejected by N.Adams Traffic Commission

The North Adams Traffic Commission has declined to recommend the placement of a hotly debated crosswalk at Bradley and Church street.

iBerkshires.com reports working off a report by Stantec Consulting Services, the commission determined that a crosswalk would not be safe in that area and that the issue of students crossing Church Street might better be addressed through changing bus routes.

The commission had recommended a crosswalk there three years ago at the request of residents but it had been held up by the mayor's office and the Department of Public Services because of questions about the sight lines at the T-intersection. The issue was raised again to the City Council several months ago.

Councilors were frustrated that the matter was dropped without any information making its way back to City Council and referred the crosswalk back to the commission and mayor's office with a request for an update.

The two problems with placing a crosswalk at that intersection was that first, it wouldn't connect two sidewalks and second, motorists would not be able to see someone in the crosswalk within the standard stopping distance because of the curvature and elevation of the road both north and south.

A flashing sign wouldn't help either because of the sight lines, he said.

Speeding on Church, Pleasant, Ashland and Phelps were also discussed.