What appeared to be an unlikely prospect has finally materialized for District Councillor Giovanni Recupero – a pedestrian crossing signal now stands on the curves of Marginal Street.
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Recupero expressed satisfaction this week over the installation of the substantial crossing light at PORT Park, which enables residents throughout his district, including young people, to traverse the busy thoroughfare safely. The roadway, heavily trafficked by commercial vehicles, had previously posed significant dangers to those accessing the community recreational facility.
“They said I couldn’t do it; no one said
this could be done, but here it is,” he said on Monday. “I found money in an
account from Eastern Minerals. I called for that money to be used for this
light, and convinced my fellow councillors to vote for it. Everyone told me not
to try to do this because it was too expensive. But we did our research and we
did it. It’s a great achievement for all of the children of this district. This
is a dangerous spot. The park is great, but you couldn’t safely get to the
other side of the street.”
The neighborhood surrounding Marginal Street combines industrial operations with dense residential areas along this major truck corridor.
PORT Park has served the community for approximately five years and draws regular visitors during warmer seasons. Yet crossing the street to reach it meant navigating around fast-moving tractor trailers – a hazardous undertaking for residents in the adjacent neighborhood.
According to Recupero, the Council and City Manager Tom Ambrosino deserve credit for their commitment to improving infrastructure in his district, making the area considerably safer.
The crossing light required an investment just under $1 million and functions as a full traffic control system – activated by pedestrians at a button and halting all vehicle traffic to allow safe passage.
When initially proposed years earlier, the project faced rejection due to its cost. Recupero subsequently located a previously untapped mitigation account from Eastern Minerals designated for district infrastructure improvements.
“The City spends money on everything and it
should spend money on the safety of the children,” he said. “Now the children
and their parents don’t have to worry anymore because the light will always be
here.”