EALS COALITION + STRONG TOWNS ARLINGTON

December 4, 2024

Pedestrian Safety: Every Life Matters

On Tuesday, November 26, our community was reminded of a painful truth: it’s not always safe to cross the street in Arlington.

Harlan Cuklanz, 85, was tragically killed by a car while crossing Massachusetts Avenue around 6 p.m.—in a crosswalk, where safety should be all but guaranteed. This marks at least the third pedestrian hit in Arlington Heights and second fatality along Mass Ave in the past year, a sobering pattern we cannot ignore. The October 16th crash in Lexington, while not receiving much attention in Arlington, claimed the life of a grandparent of an Arlington student.

Pedestrian safety isn’t just a concern for those on foot—it impacts drivers too. The moment you step out of your car, you become a pedestrian. Whether you’re grabbing a coffee at Starbucks, meeting friends for dinner at Heights Pub, or picking up a treat at Cookie Time, those brief moments crossing busy streets can be dangerous. Ensuring safer streets means creating a community that’s accessible, welcoming, and safe for everyone.

The Problem We Face

Massachusetts Avenue, the backbone of our town, is a danger zone. While details about Tuesday's crash are still emerging, we already know that crossing conditions along Mass Ave are inadequate. In fact, a 2019 memo from the Town’s planning department highlighted the safety issues at the Trader Joe’s crosswalk, but only minor interventions were taken. Recent photos of crashes along Mass Ave tell a troubling story: many crosswalks lack proper visibility, safe infrastructure, and adequate lighting—problems that worsen as daylight wanes. The installation of well-known and tested safety measures must be a higher priority for the Town.

Speed plays a big role in pedestrian safety. Faster cars are more likely to hit people, and the injuries are worse. For example:

A car going 20 MPH stops for pedestrians 75% of the time and, if hit, the pedestrian survives 95% of the time.
But, if the car is going faster than 35 MPH, it only stops about 15% of the time and the pedestrian's chance of survival when hit drops significantly.

Graphic showing the higher likelihood of fatality vs. surviving a collision at 30 MPH vs. 25 MPH vs. 20 MPH.

Age also matters. A 70-year-old person hit by a car going 25 MPH is just as likely to be seriously hurt or killed as a 30-year-old hit at 35 MPH.

Establishing a 20 MPH safety zone along Mass Ave through the commercial districts is a vital first step in addressing this issue.

A Shared Responsibility

Improving pedestrian safety is about designing streets that take into account human behavior and prioritize safety for all users. Drivers need clear visual cues; pedestrians need dependable infrastructure. We all share the road, and we all share the responsibility to make it safer.

This tragedy must be a call to action. No one should fear crossing the street, and no community should accept such loss as inevitable. By working together, we can create streets that protect every person—because there’s no one someone won’t miss.

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