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Cement mixer takes out power lines in Roslindale; driver stuck in truck

On Hazelmere Road, around 6:15 p.m., Stanley Staco reports. And that's why Channel 7 sent its helicopter.

Sally Barkan reports:

Cement truck pulled down utility pole, wires, and several transformers at intersection of Hazelmere Rd. and Robken Rd. in Roslindale. Driver is fine, but hasn't been able to get out of the truck safely. Immediate neighbors have no electricity and may not for several days!

Separately, a woman was hit by a car at Washington Street and Firth Road. Among other things, that made a mess of traffic on Washington.

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Comments

Adam you have no personality

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Do I even know you, bro?

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The scientologists are after you now! Personality test!

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So there is a known issue with the signals at that intersection. That said... it's on purpose.

The traffic department has the pedestrian crossing signal set to function as you might expect, but Firth Road is given a green for cars to proceed while the WHITE WALK LIGHT FOR THE PEDESTRIAN IN THE STREET THAT IS CROSSING IS STILL ACTIVE. This means that you get the OK to cross, start across, then you get about half-way across Washington and Firth gets the go-ahead.

Now, I actually called the city on this and reported it as a flaw. No so I was told.

The signal is set that way on purpose because of the concerns for traffic congestion and timing. The idea is that even if the car on Firth Road gets the green, they will wait for the person in the crosswalk and then proceed once the crosswalk is cleared.

This is followed by a red for Firth, and a green for South.

I repeat... this is the God's honest truth. That is what the city told me.

So someone got nailed? Thankfully I know about this signal and don't take the chance. If I don't step off as soon as I get the white pedestrian signal and run like hell, I wait till the next time around.

Anyone else see a flaw in this logic?

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grow up and look both ways. when its clear.... cross the street

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as dmk just finished explaining... once you've done all of the above, while in the middle of the street, the light will turn green, the cars will charge at you, and you'll have to dodge out of their way! - Lots of fun, especially on ice & snow. Plus, they'd probably assume you're jaywalking and be annoyed with you. All the more reason for some of the worse drivers to not slow down at all.

Back to dmk though, -If the lights are really set up this way, (it's not in my neighborhood, so I've never had to deal with it thankfully), why not just contact your city councilor? Neighborhood issues is what they're all about! Seems like they'd be glad to help. And crosswalk safety is a very reasonable request. You'd probably get near-instant results, especially after this accident. It just involves changing the light timing by a few seconds, but could make a big difference in pedestrian safety. Good luck!

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I have been complaining about the intersection at Centre St. and Columbus with a pretty similar problem (except it is a block from a T station and traffic is off a four lane state highway) where there is a green right turn light overlapping the white ped crossing. I have gotten a fat load of nothing not even some bs about it being intentional. I hope you have better luck with the city than I have.

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First, I will correct you sort of, or at least clarify for the non-Roslindale folk here. When one has the green light/white guy signal, the it is the turning traffic that has the green light, so it is like a lot of downtown intersections.

Now, you, of all people, can correct me if I'm wrong, but "back in the day" (say the 1990s) the cycle was green on Washington followed by green for South/Firth, allowing for an all red cycle for the pedestrians if the button was pushed. They split South and Firth into 2 cycles at one point. They still had the all red option, which meant Washington Street traffic was stopped that much longer. This was the time when I started walking from Forest Hills, which has been great exercise, but at the time it also got me home in good time, since the traffic was backed up for at least a half mile (remember, it's a mile from Forest Hills to Firth Road) every evening. The solution was to get rid of the all red light and give pedestrians a sense of security by putting the walk sign on. Was it safer? Well, this is when I let the car haters vent, since rarely does a car stop making that right turn with a green light.

You fix it for the walkers, you make Washington Street traffic worse. You keep it as is, there's a danger for the people getting off the bus at the gas station. But if walking is faster than the bus, there will be less people crossing the street.

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I find those signs telling drivers who are turning to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk to be useful. I figure the drivers will eventually figure it out, especially as aggravated pedestrians point to the signs.

Is the intersection too complicated for the city to figure out where to post those types of signs easily?

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Yes, that's called a concurrent walk phase with a leading pedestrian interval. That's very standard and there are lots of other signals in the Boston area like that. The main benefit is that both pedestrians and cars have a shorter wait to get a walk signal. The downside is that turning cars must yield to pedestrians.

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Rozzie the land of the rudies

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Naturally, the people who live around the stuck truck had their lower go out.

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NEC 230: (National Electrical Code )
(B) Clearances. Overhead conductor spans for system not over 600V must maintain the following clearances: Figure 230-11 230-24B.cdr

(1) 10 ft at the electric service entrance to buildings, at the lowest point of the drip loop of the building electric entrance, above finished grade, sidewalks, or platform or projection from which they might be accessible to pedestrians, where the voltage is not in excess of 150V to ground.
(2) 12 ft above residential property and driveways, and those commercial areas not subject to truck traffic, where the voltage does not exceed 300V to ground.
(3) 15 ft above those areas listed in the 12 ft classification, where the voltage exceeds 300V to ground.
(4) 18 ft over public streets, alleys, roads, parking areas subject to truck traffic, driveways on other than residential property, and other areas traversed by vehicles such as cultivated, grazing, forest, and orchard. Department of Transportation (DOT) type right of ways in rural areas are many times used by slow-moving and tall farming machinery to avoid impeding traffic flow.

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What was a cement truck doing in that little residential area?

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You realize that construction goes on all the time everywhere in the city, right? Concrete is used for driveways, sidewalks, foundations, patios, garage slabs, etc etc.

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.

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What the hell with the helicopter thudding over my house for a straight hour? I know in the grand scheme of things it's not the end of the world, but it's seriously annoying. How much aerial footage do they need for a two minute news item?

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And they wanted to be there for the um, dramatic rescue.

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Or, like Charlie, will he have to have his lunch handed to him through the window?

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