Main/Walden revamp sees pedestrians safer; cyclist incidents persist

For years, officials recognized the intersection of Main and Walden Streets as one of Acton’s most troublesome crossings.

Prompted by a high number of vehicle crashes and near misses involving pedestrians, Acton completed a redesign of the intersection in late 2024. So far, crash data suggests the changes have improved safety for pedestrians — but some cyclists haven’t been so lucky.

Town planning documents say curb extensions, enhanced crosswalks, and better street markings were designed to slow turning vehicles, shorten crossing distances, and improve visibility. A MassDOT Shared Streets and Spaces grant of nearly $198,000 helped fund the project.

An independent Acton Bridge review of police crash records found no reported collisions involving pedestrians since the Main/Walden reconstruction. 

Bicycle-related crashes, however, have increased slightly. 

Police Capt. Brian Goldman cautioned that the town has limited post-construction data, making it too early for officials to draw firm conclusions.

“We need a few years of data to compare it to,” Goldman told The Acton Bridge, “but initially it looks like there’s been a marked reduction [of pedestrian-involved crashes], and hopefully it will stay like that.”

Then versus now

Police crash records analyzed by The Bridge show the Main/Walden intersection had the highest number of pedestrian- or bicyclist-involved crashes in Acton between January 2019 and May 2026. Of the 76 town crashes reviewed, eight occurred at Main/Walden. 

Records also reveal a shift in the types of incidents occurring at and adjacent to the intersection.

From January 2019 to September 2024, before the renovation, The Bridge identified five reported crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists at the intersection, including immediately nearby addresses. Four involved pedestrians; one, a bicyclist.

Since the remodeling, police records show no crashes involving pedestrians at the intersection or the adjacent addresses. During the same period, three reported crashes involved bicyclists and stationary cars. 

Goldman said he has not noticed an increase in bicycle traffic through Acton Center that could explain any uptick in car versus cyclist accidents. 

Phil Posner, a Transportation Advisory Committee member and avid bicyclist, finds that the “relatively narrow” street is still dangerous for riders.

“There’s people walking, not in the crosswalk, crossing the street,” he said. “There’s a lot of cars. There’s a lot of distractions.”

Dooring incidents 

The three reported crashes since the intersection’s makeover occurred on Main Street in the immediate area of the Walden intersection and involved bicyclists colliding with open vehicle doors. 

Police reports show: 

• In November 2024, shortly after the road improvements, a westbound bicyclist struck the open driver’s side door of a parked vehicle.
• In July 2025, an eastbound bicyclist hit the door of a vehicle stopped in traffic as a passenger was exiting. The bicyclist lost control and struck a parked vehicle. The rider suffered minor injuries, and both vehicles sustained minor damage.
• In November 2025, a westbound bicyclist struck the just-opened driver’s side door of a parked vehicle. The door could not be closed, so the vehicle was towed. The bicyclist was unhurt, and the bike wasn’t damaged. 

Goldman said the fact that none of the new incidents involved a car hitting a bicyclist directly would suggest the intersection is safer. 

“The whole idea was to give the pedestrians a safe zone to be able to get out and cross the street when they redid the intersection,” Goldman said. “It seems to have worked.”

Beyond the numbers

Posner said accident reports don’t always paint a full picture. 

“I’ve had people open their doors close enough to me to give me the willies,” he said. “When you have a situation like [that], what can you do? You can’t report that to the police because nothing illegal happened, but it’s still something that affects you.”

Town Manager Kerry Lafleur said that the upgrade was about improving traffic flow and “protecting our community,” and early statistics show the project has advanced officials’ goal of improving pedestrian safety. 

Lafleur said the town will use lessons from the project when considering future improvements.

“While the data is still emerging,” she told The Bridge in an email, “these early indicators from the Police Department are highly encouraging.”