Traffic Safety Action Committee Chair Rick Smyers will write a letter to parents of Marblehead Public School students to help them teach safe e-cycling practices to their children. The letter will be sent by Superintendent John Robidoux, according to TSAC.
“I took the meeting with the head of the PTO at [Veterans Middle School],” Committee Chair Rick Smyers said at a Nov. 17 meeting “She shared my concerns, the same concerns that we’ve been talking about, that this is going to be a problem and we should try to get ahead of it.”
Police Chief Dennis King added: “There is a statewide need for discussion on how to regulate e-bikes.”
Since 2020, there have been seven minor e-bike and car accidents in Marblehead. As e-bike use increases, however, more incidents may occur.
Massachusetts allows two types of e-bikes — Class 1 and Class 2 — to be ridden by all ages without a license or registration. Without modification, each of these types of e-bikes maxes out at 20 mph; the main difference is that Class 2 bikes can be accelerated using a throttle in addition to pedaling.
Also at the meeting, Department of Public Works Director Any McHugh gave a significant update on the Article 11 Capital Improvement Plan for roads, sidewalks and bicycle infrastructure.
Nearly $12.5 million was budgeted for the five-year plan. The DPW’s projects for fiscal year 2026 include improvements to West, Tedesco, Humphrey, Curtis, and Roosevelt streets as well as Mystic and Florence roads. Eight new rectangular rapid flashing beacons will be added around town. New ADA ramps are also planned to be added at various locations.
“Making ADA compliance a priority issue is really important,” said Town Administrator Thatcher Keezer. “The challenges that Marblehead has with roads and sidewalks and the old cow paths turned into roads and such, for those who are able, they can navigate those. If you’re not physically-abled, it’s an absolute barrier to move around. That’s why I push to make it a priority that we work on ADA matters up front.”
Public comments included requests for updates regarding new sidewalks and crosswalks near Tedesco Pond Place on the Marblehead-Salem line. Due to the proximity of the crosswalk to Salem, an extended sidewalk leading to the new crosswalk may abruptly stop at the town line.
“We will reach out to Salem,” said McHugh, in regards to the extent of a new sidewalk project.
While a new flashing signal will be added in the near future, the timeframe for the extended Tedesco Street sidewalks is uncertain due to contractor scheduling in the early spring.
Marblehead Police Chief, Dennis King, announced that the TSAC submission form will be changing soon.
“We are going to take the Traffic Safety change request form off of the website in the current fashion,” said King. “It’s not soliciting the types of requests that TSAC had intended for… We’re going to go back to the TSAC fillable form.”
TSAC will next meet on Monday, Dec. 15, at 4 p.m.
