How North Attleborough Is Prioritizing Pedestrians Over Cars
How North Attleborough Is Designing Streets for Pedestrians, Not Just Cars
North Attleborough is rethinking how its roads work—and for once, it's not about traffic flow or parking spots. It’s about people. With safety, accessibility, and community life in mind, the town is shifting toward more pedestrian-friendly design across its downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. And residents are already starting to notice the difference.
For years, many of North Attleborough’s main streets were built with one priority in mind: moving vehicles. But over the past two years, local leaders have been working with planners to flip that narrative. Recent upgrades include wider sidewalks, clearer crosswalks, new pedestrian islands, and traffic-calming curb extensions that slow down speeding cars without adding congestion.
Town officials say the changes are about more than infrastructure. They want to foster a stronger sense of place—one where walking downtown to grab a coffee or bike to school feels safe, pleasant, and part of everyday life. The transformation is already visible along South Washington Street and parts of East Street, where vibrant paintwork, new bike racks, and planted medians are drawing praise from residents.
Parents appreciate the safer crossings near schools. Seniors say the wider sidewalks and benches make walking easier. And business owners have noticed more foot traffic—literally. Some shopkeepers say slower streets mean more window browsing, more impulse stops, and ultimately, more local spending.
Still, not everyone is on board. A few residents have voiced concerns about reduced parking or unfamiliar traffic patterns. But town planners say the goal isn’t to ban cars—it’s to balance the street. And as more towns across Massachusetts adopt “complete streets” policies, North Attleborough is joining a growing movement that sees roads as shared public spaces—not just pipelines for cars.
With more upgrades expected next spring, including additional bike lanes and a pilot pedestrian plaza near the town center, North Attleborough’s streets may soon look a lot less like thoroughfares and a lot more like destinations.
