What are some of the problems on Willow Avenue?

We're busy collecting data about what works and doesn't on Willow Ave. David Booth and Melora Rush live on Elm Street near the corner of Willow. David emailed me the following pictures and comments:

The intersection of Willow Avenue and Elm Street and Beech Street (see Figure 1) is hazardous to pedestrians. We have seen a number of accidents – both vehicle and pedestrian -- during the 8 years that we have lived here. There are two main problems:

1. There is no stop sign for Elm Street traffic at the Willow/Beech intersection, so Elm Street vehicles traveling through the intersection sometimes go quite fast.

2. Pedestrian crossing of Willow from East to West on the North side of Elm (see Figure 2) is particularly hazardous because:

a. Vehicles traveling West on Elm zoom around the corner onto Willow, partly because it is not a sharp turn, and partly because there is no stop sign.

b. Visibility for these vehicles (and for pedestrians) is often partially obstructed by other vehicles parked in front of Ace Wheel Works on Elm at the corner of Willow.

c. A pedestrian cannot readily watch for vehicles rapidly approaching from behind (on Elm), in addition to watching for vehicles coming from the front (Eastbound Elm) and the left (Beech).

Figure 1: Existing Intersection of Elm Street and Willow/Beech

Figure 2: Pedestrian (black dot) trying to cross Willow

What we're doing!

The Davis Square Transportation Design Group formed in the summer of 2007 to work on targeted projects that we have the skills and inclination to work on. We formed because we thought that there are some very creative and skilled professionals in Somerville who can put their skills to use to help solve some problems that we have. Of course we have no authority. If anything happens as a result of our work it will be because it makes sense for the community.

In order to not have this drag on forever ever (or 4 evah), we have set a deadline of 12 weeks to work on the project. Our group first met on August 2nd and will close up on October 24. It took us about 6 weeks to decide what project to work on. We generated a big list of projects to work on and then narrowed it down to 2 and then just 1: Willow Avenue between Elm Street and Highland Avenue.

We picked Willow Avenue because:

1. It filled the skills and interests that we have in our group to work on the project.
2. It was pretty limited in geography, so we could get something done in a short period of time
3. It mirrors many other streets in Somerville
4. One of our group members (Dan Shugrue) lives on Willow. If anything was going to happen, we need people on the avenue to support what we're doing. Dan will help involve all the neighbors and businesses who could be impacted.

Some other things: We want to develop solutions that are inexpensive to implement (they're easier to do, and easier to reverse if people don't like them), and the planning needs to be do able in a short time frame (12 weeks).

If this works, we hope more groups like this will form in Davis Square and throughout the City.

This blog will update the community as to what we're doing and we expect to update it at least weekly through October 24.

Who's in our group (in no particular order):

Jeff Roberts, Community Planner
Ethan Gisldorf, Writer
Cassie Arnaud, Housing Planner
Robert Mantell, Employment Lawyer
Jim Gallagher, Transportation Planner
Rebekah Gewirtz, Ward 6 Alderman
Brian Postlewaite, Traffic Engineer
Mark Chase, Transportation Planner
Jim Campano, Community Member, former West Ender (Boston)
Brian Brady, Community Member, lifelong resident of Davis Square
Dan Shugrue, Community Member, Willow Ave resident
Bea Gomez, Architect
Iram Farooq, Urban Planner
David Loutzenheiser, Transportation Planner