Description

Please install traffic-calming devices or some type of advance red-light signal warning on the lower section of State St between Danforth and York Streets, or, better yet, both.

This is a posted 25 mph section of street that ends at a signalized intersection with a crosswalk, yet people operate their motor vehicles at speeds far exceeding this posted limit on a regular basis. This downhill section of State St is treated as a high-speed on-ramp to the Casco Bay Bridge and not a 25 mph residential street with vulnerable road users present.

Twice now I have witnessed people operating their vehicles at such high speed that they are slow to notice the red light and when eventually attempting to stop, they skid out into the intersection past the painted crosswalk.

On the first occasion, a pedestrian had only just finished crossing within the painted crosswalk. It was a very close call. Had the pedestrian been slower or the car any faster, severe injuries would have been inflicted.

On the second occasion, it was me who was almost hit. Thankfully, I was crossing from the Casco Bay Bridge over to the York St extension on bicycle, which meant I was not directly in the painted crosswalk. Had I been a pedestrian, crossing in the painted crosswalk, the speeding vehicle would have struck me.  Utilizing the pedestrian cross signal as a cyclist is the only safe way to negotiate that intersection from the bridge to the west end of York St.

There are many other improvements that could be suggested for this intersection, but the basic necessity of ensuring cars stop at red lights seems the most urgent, as failure to do so could have deadly consequences.

Thank you for addressing this safety concern.