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The Traffic Safety Advisory Committee received an update on the Five Corners redesign project and voted to pursue e-bike safety education at its meeting Monday while residents raised concerns about pedestrian safety across town.
Community Development Director Brendan Callahan told the committee the town is working with a consultant for the Five Corners project, which received a $135,000 MassWorks grant plus $15,100 from the town.
“We are ... finalizing the scope of work and a cost proposal, which we hope to see with them, from them, by Dec. 1,” Callahan said.
The project will include pedestrian enhancements, potential bump-outs on corners and stamped brick mountable islands. Callahan said the consultant will develop at least one, possibly two concept plans for consideration. The project also incorporates the School Street parking lot and may extend up Washington Street, though officials have not determined how far or what specific work would be included in that extension.
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer emphasized the project’s broader economic development goals beyond traffic management.
“This project is probably a showcase example,” Kezer said, noting the Five Corners project combines traffic flow and safety improvements with opportunities to enhance the area for economic growth and make it more attractive for pedestrians to use businesses and restaurants.
Kezer said part of the discussion includes extending improvements up Washington Street to connect the Five Corners area with the waterfront, creating economic opportunities and tying the two business districts together.
“It’s not just about traffic and flow and parking,” Kezer said. “That’s really important, but it’s the economic opportunities that we can create out of the redesign and the enhancements.”
The design phase is expected to take at least one year with multiple community engagement meetings, beginning with business owners and town staff before expanding to the broader community. Traffic counts will be conducted to determine whether signalization is warranted at the intersection.
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Department of Public Works Superintendent Amy McHugh presented infrastructure projects funded through the town’s $12,495,000 road and sidewalk improvement article approved in 2022.
McHugh told the committee the town has spent $2,081,217 through the first three years of the five-year capital improvement plan, completing road paving and sidewalk work on numerous streets including West Street, Mystic Avenue, Florence Road, Tedesco Street and Humphrey Street. The department has installed or planned eight rapid flashing beacons at crosswalks.
A comprehensive infrastructure assessment Environmental Partners Group in 2023 documented the condition of 71 miles of sidewalks and identified 560 existing curb ramps throughout town, with another 550 locations where new ramps are needed. The $179,000 study, funded through state Chapter 90 transportation funds, found that 92% of Marblehead’s sidewalks are asphalt, with only 10% currently rated in good or excellent condition. The assessment identified more than $61 million in needed sidewalk and curb ramp improvements to meet accessibility standards and safety goals, with approximately 76% of existing curb ramps failing to meet current Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
The capital plan prioritizes utility upgrades before paving and includes ADA-compliant sidewalk improvements. Future projects include work on Pleasant Street, Washington Street and Prospect Street, with McHugh noting fiscal year 2028 will see heavy spending on major improvements.
The town’s road network currently rates 85 on a 100-point scale, McHugh said, adding that maintaining that rating requires annual spending of approximately $3.1 million when combined with state Chapter 90 funding.
During public comment, Ken Moss, a Tedesco Street resident, inquired about progress on a crosswalk and sidewalk request near Tedesco Country Club. McHugh said the department moved the crosswalk closer to Tedesco Pond and will install a rapid flashing beacon there, with sidewalk construction planned for next spring extending to the Salem line.
Police Chief Dennis King explained the placement follows crosswalk criteria the committee established to avoid multiple stops in short distances.
Peter Fleming zoomed in to raise safety concerns about Elm Street, where he and his children bike to school. Fleming said the road’s varying width and heavy morning traffic create dangerous conditions, particularly near the bottom of the hill by Digital Dock where the road narrows.
Fleming told the committee that on Nov. 4, two vehicles were involved in what appeared to be a serious collision on Elm Street near the funeral home.
“The signage is great for people who are operating safely otherwise, but when it comes to vehicle collisions around our kids, the signage isn’t going to help us,” Fleming said.
The committee voted to delegate authority to Smyers to finalize an educational message about e-bike safety for distribution to parents through the Veterans Middle School PTO communication system. The draft message addresses growing safety concerns about electric bicycles, which have been involved in seven crashes in town between 2020 and 2024.
King told the committee a statewide commission recently completed work reviewing e-bike safety and will issue recommendations to legislators.
“There is a statewide need and discussion on how to regulate e bikes,” King said.
The committee scheduled its next meeting for Dec. 15.
