SAUGUS — Lynn Fells Parkway residents are asking for better lighting on the streets, specifically in crosswalk areas. Community members expressed their belief that the amount of lighting is insufficient enough to pose a safety hazard.
On the Melrose side of Lynn Fells, residents were previously seeing similar problems, stating that fatal crashes have been occurring consistently. Both municipalities have pleaded for the state to find a way to slow cars down. In 2022, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) took action in Melrose, providing better signage for crosswalks.
The Saugus side of Lynn Fells has not had similar action taken as of yet, most notably the Breakheart intersection, where vehicles come speeding off Route 1.
“They need some flashers. If you don’t get in the crosswalk and go a little bit out, they won’t stop even if they see you standing in the yellow,” Saugus resident John Pedicini said.
Pedicini believes that drivers are too focused on the road to notice crossing pedestrians, but if the crosswalk signs had lights on them, it would make a difference.
“Melrose has done that. The whole sign on both sides is outlined in lights and flashes when someone is in the yellow on the sidewalk,” Pedicini said.
Flashing crosswalks have started to become more common throughout the region, however they are not present in the Lynn Fells neighborhood yet.
“I think that just having the lighting there…so that cars can see us as we’re trying to cross the street would be helpful. I know that there have been people near my house who have been hit by cars because it gets pretty dark, especially around the wintertime,” Lynn Fells resident Olivia Ferri said. “So having those light-up crosswalks there would help a lot.”
