Downtown Crosswalk Signals Could Get Clocks

Panic can set in when a person is crossing a downtown Attleboro Street and the crosswalk signal changes from the friendly human figure to the bright red hand. The person still has time to make it safely to the other side, but he or she doesn't know how much. Some city councilors want to end the guessing game by attaching countdown clocks to the signals.

Councilor Walter Thibodeau introduced the measure at last week's City Council meeting. He and his colleagues voted 10-0 for the concept to be reviewed by the Traffic Study Commission, with a formal proposal eventually returning to the council.

Councilor Sara-Lynn Reynolds said countdown clocks, which are featured at intersections throughout the country, give people peace of mind.

"It helps people not rush across; they realize how many seconds they have," Reynolds said. 

Councilor Jay DiLisio said countdown clocks are "long overdue," and he said he would like the city government to look at Attleboro's crosswalk rules because "the issue going on with the crosswalks across the city is a growing epidemic."

"Too often, I'll be walking down the street and I'll see a group of youngsters ... just [running] across the street without any regard," DiLisio said. "I think, ultimately, it's going to lead to someone getting hurt or possibly killed."

Also at the meeting, the council voted 10-0 for the Traffic Study Commission to review Thibodeau's proposal for a new crosswalk at Park Street on the intersection with Bank Street and Railroad Avenue.