If you’ve driven on Sandwich Street near downtown in the last week, the patch of newly planted mums in front of the Plymouth Training Green may have caught your eye. But the burst of color is about more than beautifying the sidewalk area.
The seasonal flowers were a finishing touch on a project designed to enhance the pedestrian crossing on that stretch of the street. For years, there have been safety concerns about the crosswalk’s visibility. Coming south from Main Street Extension, Sandwich Street rises before the crossing, making it difficult for drivers to see whether someone is walking in the road until reaching the crest of the hill. The crosswalk is regularly used by Nathaniel Morton Elementary School students and their parents.
To address the concerns, the town recently built a curb “bump out” that extends the sidewalk into the street, making it easier for both walkers and drivers to see each other sooner.
“We had made improvements in the past, including eliminating a parking space and restriping the pavement markings to provide more clearance from the driveway and parked cars, but the town felt there was need for more,” said Asst. Director of Public Works James Downey, in an email.
Downey said the town received a state Department of Transportation grant to fund “safety upgrades,” including the bump out and a crosswalk beacon. The grant paid for the project, which cost about $35,000.
The “majority of the work is done… including the realigning and shortening of the crosswalk distance, improving signage visibility with a crosswalk beacon,” Downey said.
And in a nice touch, the design allowed space for plantings, which “provide both an environmental and aesthetic benefit,” he noted. Here’s hoping for a late frost.
Mark Pothier can be reached at mark@plymouthindependent.org.