After a crash, Chelsea moves quickly to add lighting and flashing beacons on 2nd Street

Chelsea officials told the Traffic and Parking Commission on Jan. 6 that the city has already begun installing additional street lighting and rapid flashing beacons on 2nd Street after a recent serious pedestrian crash.

Staff reported that DPW crews will add light heads on every utility pole along the corridor and that two rapid flashing beacon (RRFB/RFGB) units are currently being installed, with a third scheduled for later in the spring. Staff emphasized these are measures already in progress rather than items requiring a commission vote.

A local resident who has advocated on the issue described the stretch as exceptionally dark and increasingly busy, saying multiple new developments, bus stops and hotel activity have raised pedestrian volumes. "It’s very, very dark," the resident (S12) said when discussing the corridor. "I am absolutely sorry; it literally is gonna save injury and lives," the resident added when describing the planned treatments.

Staff said the beacons will be placed at the three existing crosswalks on 2nd Street north of Spruce and invited the resident to identify any additional locations where crosswalks may be needed. Commissioners asked staff to obtain data from ongoing speeding studies and to report back; staff indicated no formal vote was required because procurement and bids for the beacons are already underway.

The commission’s immediate direction directs DPW to continue installation of lighting and the RRFBs and to coordinate follow-up community outreach and data collection to assess the treatments’ effectiveness.