Description

The traffic signal installed on Claremont Ave at Mystic Street as part of the Safeway grocery project has really degraded the pedestrian experience here. There is now a pedestrian signal controlling people walking on the sidewalk across the Safeway parking lot driveway on the west side of this intersection. This alone is bad enough, but to make matters worse the pedestrian signal defaults to a red hand even when traffic on Claremont has a green light, so anyone on the sidewalk has to push the crossing button here then wait through a full signal phase just to continue walking on the sidewalk, even if there is zero traffic turning into the parking lot.

My #1 suggestion is just to get rid of the pedestrian signal altogether, as pedestrians should always have priority on the sidewalk over drivers turning into a parking lot.

At the very least, however, the signal should always default to a white walk beacon, and only change to a red hand when the traffic signal for Claremont Ave is also red. There should be no need for a pedestrian button whatsoever for people crossing the Safeway driveway entrance on foot, and the actuated pedestrian signal should only be used for people who want to cross Claremont Ave.