Safer Pedestrian Crossing on Massachusetts Avenue

Cambridge has been named one of the most walkable cities in the United States, and walking is more popular as a mode of transportation here than in most other large cities. Maintaining and building on this strong support for traveling on foot is an ongoing goal for the City and the Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department in particular.

A newly-installed rapid flash beacon on Massachusetts Avenue at Garfield Street is a part of this effort. The beacon has been added to a pre-existing crosswalk to make it easier for pedestrians to cross Mass Ave. On a street as busy as Mass Ave, cars may not always see pedestrians in time to stop, and once one vehicle has passed the crosswalk, following cars are less likely to stop. With the beacon, when pedestrians want to cross, they can press a button to activate a yellow flashing light on both sides and in the middle of the street, and these lights warn vehicles to slow and stop.

The beacon will require some adjustment for pedestrians and drivers alike but will ultimately make travel easier and safer for both groups. The Massachusetts Avenue at Garfield Street beacon is the first of what will be a series of rapid flash beacons that are planned for installation around Cambridge.