The following letter to the editor was submitted by the Everywhere Arlington Liveable Streets Coalition and Strong Town Arlington. The writers are David Liu, Jennifer Litowski, and Vincent Baudoin.
On Tuesday, Nov. 26, our community was reminded of a painful truth: It’s not always safe to cross the street in Arlington.
Harlan Cuklanz, 85, was tragically killed by a car while crossing Mass. Ave. around 6 p.m.—in a crosswalk, where safety should be all but guaranteed. This marks at least the third pedestrian hit in Arlington Heights and second fatality along Mass. Ave. in the past year, a sobering pattern we cannot ignore.
Pedestrian safety isn’t just a concern for those on foot — it impacts drivers, too. The moment you step out of your car, you become a pedestrian. Whether you’re grabbing a coffee at Starbucks, meeting friends for dinner at Heights Pub or picking up a treat at Cookie Time, those brief moments crossing busy streets can be dangerous. Ensuring safer streets means creating a community that’s accessible, welcoming and safe for everyone.
The problem we face
Mass. Ave., the backbone of our town, is a danger zone. While details about the Nov. 26 collision are still emerging, we already know that crossing conditions along Mass. Ave. are inadequate. In fact, a 2019 memo from town planning highlighted the safety issues at the Trader Joe’s crosswalk, but only minor interventions were taken.
Recent photos of crashes along Mass. Ave. tell a troubling story: many crosswalks lack proper visibility, safe infrastructure and adequate lighting — problems that worsen as daylight wanes. The installation of well-known and tested safety measures must be a higher priority for the town.
Speed plays a big role in pedestrian safety. Faster cars are more likely to hit people, and the injuries are worse. For example:
- A car going 20 mph stops for pedestrians 75 percent of the time and, if hit, the pedestrian survives 95 percent of the time.
- But, if the car is going faster than 35 mph, it only stops about 15 percent of the time, and the pedestrian’s chance of survival drops significantly.
Age also matters. A 70-year-old person hit by a car going 25 mph is just as likely to be seriously hurt or killed as a 30-year-old hit at 35 mph.
Establishing a 20-mph safety zone along Mass. Ave. through the commercial districts is a vital step in addressing this issue.
A shared responsibility
Improving pedestrian safety is about designing streets that take into account human behavior and prioritize safety for all users. Drivers need clear visual cues; pedestrians need dependable infrastructure. We all share the road, and we all share the responsibility to make it safer.
This tragedy must be a call to action. No one should fear crossing the street, and no community should accept such loss as inevitable. By working together, we can create streets that protect every person—because there’s no one someone won’t miss.
This letter to the editor was published Dec. 5, 2024.
I use this crossing all the time and am cautious. But instead of lowering the speed limit (which probably won’t be enforced), how about some engineering controls that will be much more likely to work?
-Add a speed bump prior to the crossing from each direction
-Better lighting, this highly used crossing is too dark
-Add a push button pedestrian crossing warning light; better yet add a traffic light with a walk/don’t walk sign. I think this congested area has enough crossings to justify a real light.
@Mike, absolutely! Safety requires much more than a change in the speed limit. It requires physical changes like those you describes that make it comfortable for drivers to go a safe speed, and very uncomfortable for them to exceed that speed.
Hi all,
I’ve done some more thinking about this and recommend it also be referred to the Town Traffic Advisory Committee (TAC). There are a lot of users of this space and a lot going on
-two 45 degree intersections (Dundee and Paul Revere Road)
-Three parking lot entrances (Trader Joes/Walgreens/Gas Station
-Multiple users including bikes, cars, pedestrians and frequent full size truck deliveries!
Any solution or change would impact all the users. I used to be a non-voting, alternate member of the TAC and they do a good job of balancing all the factors. Unfortunately this process does take time, but at least I don’t think Mass Ave is a state highway here (posted MA RTE 2A bypasses this part of Mass Ave from East Lexington to Arlington center), so that should provide more flexibility to the town.
Adding a signal seems simple, but this would impact all the other users and need study. I’ve changed my mind, perhaps lowering the speed limit to 20mph is a good idea, the congestion seems to warrant it; similar areas in the EU are often posted at 30 km/hr, which is about 20 mph. The limit could be “soft enforced” with a radar gun/speed sign for awareness. These seem to be effective in getting most drivers to slow down. This and all the other suggested improvements should be discussed by both the TAC and the town Pedestrian safety committee (or equivalent). Be safe out there!