ANDOVER, MA — Residents demanded change to the Elm Square intersection at a traffic study forum Thursday night at Doherty Middle School.
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“Tonight is the start of a conversation about how we make Elm Square safe for everyone who uses it,” Town Manager Andrew Flanagan said at the Thursday night meeting.
The traffic study comes in the wake of a tragic accident that resulted in the death of a 5-year-old girl. Sidney Olson was struck by a tractor-trailer last month as she was walking to art class with her family along Main Street. Sidney and another member of her family were using the crosswalk on Elm Street with the walk sign showing when the accident occurred.
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Andover Police Chief Patrick Keefe previously said that a preliminary investigation found that at the time of the accident, signals at the intersection were working properly. The speed of the truck was also not a factor, and the truck did not experience a mechanical malfunction.
Eric Olson, Sidney’s father, spoke at the meeting, calling for the town to adopt a zero fatality, zero serious injury policy.
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“In an instant, we had an impossible void in our lives,” he said. “We are here tonight to make sure no one else has to feel that pain.”
He said that large trucks often encroach on intersections and don’t see pedestrians. He called for stop lines to be pulled back and traffic calming measures to be introduced, such as radar signs and speed bumps, to reduce driver speed.
The five-way downtown intersection includes Elm, Main, Essex Street, and High streets along with Post Office Avenue.
Funding for the traffic study was approved during the annual town meeting May 1. Typically, funding would not be available until July 1, but Flanagan authorized the traffic study to start immediately following the tragic accident.
The traffic study, which will be conducted by Lawrence-based firm TEC, is expected to result in a list of recommended infrastructure projects to improve pedestrian safety and better accommodate multiple forms of transportation in Elm Square, according to a statement from the town.
Kevin Dandrade of TEC said at the meeting that the process will include examining traffic signal operations, collecting traffic data, performing a road safety audit, and presenting findings. He said it will take 8 to 10 weeks to develop recommendations.
Representatives from Sidney’s Rainbows, a group of Andover residents concerned about traffic safety, said that a citizens’ task force should be involved in the decision-making process. They also had a number of objectives for pedestrian safety, including reducing driver speed through the intersection, creating consistency for both drivers and pedestrians, reducing the complexity of the intersection, and planning for increased population density downtown.
A number of residents spoke about near-miss accidents and described the intersection as dangerous. Many residents said that they go out of their way to avoid the intersection. Several said that the city should eliminate right on red at the intersection.
Thursday’s forum was the first of three the town will hold.
Last year, town meeting approved a town-wide speed limit of 25 miles per hour in thickly settled areas. The measure is intended to reduce the risk of serious injuries in motor vehicle accidents.
“Our commitment to pedestrian safety has never been greater, and it has only been strengthened in the recent weeks,” Flanagan said. “I think that residents will see that reflected in the weeks and months ahead.”
See related: Family Mourns Loss Of 5-Year-Old Andover Girl Killed Tuesday
After 5-Year-Old Sidney Olson Killed, Andover Begins Elm Square Traffic Study
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