MARBLEHEAD — Beach Street resident Henry Peabody spoke Monday evening at the town’s Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC) regarding speeding on the one-way street, a long-standing concern that has resulted in multiple deaths on the street, including his family’s six-month old puppy who was hit and killed last month.
According to police, on Jan. 31, a Cocker Spaniel puppy was struck around 6:45 p.m. by a black SUV that did not stop, killing the dog. Shortly after the incident, the Marblehead Police Department launched an investigation into the accident and notified the public that it was looking for surveillance footage to identify the vehicle.
At the meeting, Peabody pleaded for the committee to seriously look into getting vehicles to slow down on the street.
“It’s just a really, really fast street and the town has known about this for a very long time,” Peabody said. “I feel as though one of the greatest gifts we could give the town is to have a safe place for all pedestrians and bikers to use.”
Since the tragic accident, Peabody said that there have been multiple incidents where vehicles were speeding on Beach Street, including one just before the meeting took place where he said he was almost struck by a UHAUL van.
He also said that he was given an “obscene hand gesture” by another resident after telling them to slow down.
Since 2016, there have been 12 reported accidents on the street, one of which included a death in 2017, according to the state Department of Transportation.
A “slow down” sign, painted in red, is now put up in front of Peabody’s residence in an attempt to get people to pay attention on the road.
Peabody added that he is grateful that members of the committee have taken seriously the neighborhood’s request to improve traffic safety in the area and he hopes that a solution will be reached.
“I look forward to working with you all…I just want to thank you guys for your willingness to listen,” Peabody said.
TSAC member David Kucharsky noted later in the meeting that Beach Street is included in the town’s Complete Streets Funding program prioritization plan. The Complete Streets Funding Program is a state program that aims to provide safe and accessible options for all types of travel and all people.
According to the prioritization plan, which was finalized in 2019, “Provide bicycle accommodations on Beach Street and Ocean Avenue and potential ADA intersection crossing enhancements,” was tentatively listed as priority number 23 out of 28.
Possible solutions, according to the plan, included adding a seasonal 20 or 25 miles per hour speed limits on Ocean Avenue between Atlantic Avenue and the Devereux Beach entrance, as well as considering “potential intersection compression ADA and cross-walk/bike crossing enhancements” at multiple locations including Beach Street/Ocean Avenue, Gilbert Heights, the Devereux Beach entrance and at Harbor Avenue, which would also include the addition of a missing sidewalk on the north side of Harbor Avenue, where it intersects with Ocean Avenue.
