Chicopee officials discuss road safety plans following deadly pedestrian crashes

CHICOPEE, MA. (WGGB/WSHM) - Five pedestrians have been hit and killed by drivers in Chicopee since October. Now, city leaders are discussing plans to make roads safer.

At Thursday night’s public safety meeting, the department of public work’s superintendent, Elizabette Batista told city councilors they’re working to install signs, flashers, and medians in some high traffic areas.

This, as concerned Chicopee residents expressed their anger, frustration, and desperation for more to be done to protect pedestrians throughout the city.

“There’s flashers put outside of city hall but there’s still nothing on the streets where people are actually being killed,” said one resident. “Again, I don’t like to complain but I just want to know when something is going to be done. We have to commit as a city to having safe streets. Which means we need long term planning.”

Since October, nearly half a dozen pedestrians were hit and killed by cars.

Three of those deadly crashes happened on Chicopee Street.

The city’s Department of Public Works Superintendent Elizabette Batista said safety projects are in the works, but they’ll take time to implement, including purchasing 13 sets of flashers.

“There are many locations that we are in the process of putting a project together,” said Batista. “I understand the urgency to try to do something to fix this, but there really is no band aid to temporarily fix the problem”

These projects will pick up later this spring, when weather conditions improve, according to Batista.

She also explained that many of the crashes were caused by driver behavior and these projects may not completely eliminate fatal crashes.

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