Sandwich resident urges more public outreach and safer crossings on Service Road bike/path; MassDOT staff point to rapid-flashing beacons

A Sandwich resident told the Cape Cod MPO he believes the Service Road bike and pathways design did not receive adequate public input and raised safety concerns about some proposed crosswalk locations.

Darryl Crossman said he was speaking as a private citizen and that the project (presented at about 75% completion by MassDOT) did not allow sufficient public review of the design. He specifically flagged a proposed crossing at the Spaulding Rehabilitation driveway as dangerous because of limited sight lines at the top of a hill and referenced a recent accident at that location.

During the reports portion of the meeting, Pam Hasner and Barbara (MassDOT staff) responded: MassDOT and project teams have five crossings planned across Service Road for the shared-use path, and those crossings include rapid-flashing beacons for pedestrian and bicycle crossings. Pam Hasner stressed the project is a town initiative with ongoing community engagement and that staff take public comments seriously. Judith Froman offered to follow up directly with the Sandwich resident to provide additional information.

Why it matters: the exchange reflects the role of the MPO and state agencies in hosting project hearings and clarifying project design details and safety features for residents concerned about local crossings.