$100,000 grant to improve Chicopee Street intersection

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - A new state grant for Chicopee could mean all the difference in making one dangerous intersection safer for their community.

Western Mass News is learning more about the traffic upgrade for Chicopee Street.

The city received $100,000 from the state’s Fair Share Act, some may remember it as the “Millionaire’s Tax.” The act adds a 4% income tax for those raking in over a million dollars a year. That 4% goes into an account to help local cities and towns upgrade their education and traffic systems and infrastructure.

The intersection between the street and McKinstry Avenue has been a hotbed of concerns. Fatal crashes over the last few years, not to mention four incidents that left people injured this year.

We asked the man at the helm of the city, Chicopee Mayor John Vieau, the million-dollar question: when will we see the new traffic system installed? His response: “So the timeline is the design part. This is going to allow us to look at what options are available and see what the state feels about the intersection and the support we can get moving forward. If it is going to be a traffic signal type intersection mitigation project, which we think it will be and we’re hopeful that’s going to be the case, it’s going to be expensive, so we have to figure out how we’re going to pay for that.”

We also heard from a local business who’s had a front row seat to the crashes, they’re relieved something is getting done. Years have past and as time wears on the number of incidents this sign company has seen has only gone up over time.

“It’s definitely a dangerous intersection… I’ve seen a lot happen, I’ve seen a lot almost happen because I get to watch the camera footage, I do get to see firsthand pretty bad accidents." Said Tracy Janic of Sign Techniques.

Over the years, our cameras, and Janic’s have caught the aftermath of some terrible crashes in the area. “Family even, so my brother-in-law, his cousin, got hit here a couple of months ago and it was awful.” Added Janic.

Janic also shared a piece of advice for drivers; if you’re in the intersection, look two or three times to make sure you’re safe to go.

It’s unclear the exact amount of time it’ll take to get it all done, but we’ll keep you updated step-by-step as the project gets underway.