SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Springfield city officials gathered on State Street in front of Central Library Wednesday to discuss ways to make street crossing safer for pedestrians. The Springfield Central Library is located across the street from its parking lot which makes it difficult for the community to get across the street safely. And to ensure the safety of those in the community, Springfield city officials announced some road improvements on State Street including a raised platform to slow drivers down, a crosswalk and a light to direct pedestrians. The announcement comes after numerous pedestrian accidents. Just a few years ago, Springfield City Librarian Gayle Ball was struck by a vehicle and killed while crossing State Street as she left work. The director at the Springfield Library Molly Fogarty spoke to 22News about what these improvements mean to the library. "I think it shows the city is committed to everyone's safety," Fogarty explained. "It sends a message to drivers that they need to pay more attention when they are driving. I see people go through red lights when I am driving through State Street." As of October 3rd of this year, Springfield saw six deadly pedestrian crashes. And the number of pedestrian accidents continue to grow not just here in Massachusetts but across the U.S. With this new plan, city officials say they hope this minimizes the number of pedestrian accidents and deaths in the city.