Community Corner

Letter to the Editor: Pedestrian Safety Must Come First

The following Letter to the Editor was submitted by Salem Resident Larry Blanchard.

On Thursday, Aug. 22, an elderly gentleman was struck by a car and seriously injured while crossing Jefferson Avenue at Cleveland Street in Salem on his way to morning Mass at St. Anne’s church. 

In the 20 or so years I have been a parishioner at St. Anne’s there have been a number of people hit in the same area either before or after services resulting in various injuries ranging from minor to fatal. 

Despite years of requests for pedestrian lights and the obvious danger to people attempting to cross this street, other than installing a single blinking yellow light, the city of Salem apparently, has not attempted to address the situation. 

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I realize that there is a substantial cost involved in putting up and maintaining a set of pedestrian lights but I find it very disturbing that while there is not a set of lights at this very dangerous crossing used by many elderly people there is a set on Kernwood Ave. used by golfers and golf carts at Kernwood Country Club to get from one side of the golf course to the other. 

I am concerned that it seems things are easier to get done near an establishment that pays taxes to the city in comparison to one that is tax exempt. It also seem seems to me, at least in some small way, that requiring people to risk their lives to attend church and practice their faith should be considered a violation of the freedom of religion. It is past time for the city of Salem to do what is morally right regardless of what may be fiscally right. 

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Larry Blanchard

Salem Resident

St. Anne’s Parishoner


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