Field Notes: Summer 2023

Dear Friends, Welcome to the summer edition of the Friends of Albemarle newsletter!  The hawks are soaring, the baseballs are flying, and Gath pool is a glistening brilliant blue and doing the important work of keeping our community cool during these very hot days. (Which is increasingly rare, and precious, according to this interesting CNN article.)Continue reading “Field Notes: Summer 2023”

Flex Posts

We’ve written to the Newton Traffic Council, and published in Fig City, the following letter: The board of Friends of Albemarle wants to share some insight about the experiences of pedestrians and cyclists using the intersection of Albemarle Rd. and Crafts St. ever since the flex posts were installed in the vicinity of this intersection. We haveContinue reading “Flex Posts”

Accident Gallery

This image gallery shows what we residents see day after day at Albemarle. Crashes and car parts scattered around the intersections of Crafts and Albemarle, and North and Crafts. These are three different accidents photographed by members of Friends of Albemarle. They usually happen during the day, on weekdays. Over the past year, many peopleContinue reading “Accident Gallery”

The NEW 20MPH Safety Zone…Have you seen these beauties?

Did you see the new 20 MPH Safety Zone signs up around Albemarle? Safety is a great look for our park. The new rules are in large thanks to you (and also thank you to our Traffic Council for approving them). Thank you petition signers!!

Our Support for the Traffic Calming Plan

We want to express our strong support for the Traffic Calming plan, which has received significant public input during the development period over the last few years, including from our organization. Our 501(c)3 nonprofit, Friends of Albemarle, launched in January 2021 and represents all 8 wards of the city. We collaborate closely with Newton cityContinue reading “Our Support for the Traffic Calming Plan”

Make It Safer: A Petition

Dear Mayor Fuller, What is the responsibility of a community to address an intersection that the state recognizes as a “High-Crash Cluster”? The posts, bridges and signs at Albemarle/Crafts tell the story of that designation, as they lie broken, flattened and splintered by cars unable to proceed safely through—and yet this cluster is part andContinue reading “Make It Safer: A Petition”

More than a fender-bender

There’s so much exciting progress happening at Albemarle that it seems like a shame to spend time publicizing the cars that crash into it, but if we can’t improve the traffic situation, we will never be able to enjoy the pool, forest, fields or playgrounds. Here’s the scene from Wednesday February 8 on North streetContinue reading “More than a fender-bender”

FOUR high-speed accidents in EIGHT weeks

Click each photo to enlarge An Albemarle emergency: On an average of every other week for two months, there has been a major accident that totals vehicles and destroys infrastructure. (I assume it also injures people, but cannot confirm that.) Right now the corner of Albemarle and Crafts is a sea of snapped posts, cautionContinue reading “FOUR high-speed accidents in EIGHT weeks”

Today’s accident

Seen below, the accident from today at Albemarle and Crafts, a Mass DOT high-crash intersection. This is the third crash in the past month from speeding. Accident from 11/18 Accident from 12/8 There are safety recommendations for this intersection that are yet to be implemented. There is a petition to implement them (with 187 signersContinue reading “Today’s accident”