Link back to Traffic Committee Meeting Minutes
TO: Board of Selectmen
FROM: Chief Taylor Mills
RE: Minutes of Traffic Committee Meeting – May 28, 2008
DATE: May 30, 2008
PRESENT:
Sgt. David Horte
Harry Sylvester
Paul Healey
Philip Resca
Michael Pevarnik
NOT PRESENT:
Lt. John Haley
Leslie Kehoe
Sgt. Horte called the meeting to order at 7:10 PM.
Paul Healey made a motion to accept the minutes of the March 5, 2008 Traffic Committee meeting as written. Harry Sylvester seconded this with all in favor.
The first topic of discussion was a request by Christine Smith for a stop sign at the intersection of Park Circle/Wompatuck Road/Planter’s Field Lane. She explained that this subject had previously been addressed with the Traffic Committee as far back as 1999. At the November 15, 2000 Traffic Committee meeting, a recommendation was made to the Board of Selectmen that this stop sign be erected. Subsequently another area resident who had not been present at the earlier meetings blocked the sign being put up. Area residents were present this evening to again request that the stop sign be erected. Susan Murphy, Robert Baynes, Kevin Sullivan and Kelli Sullivan all spoke about their concerns for this area and all were in agreement that the sign would alleviate the major problem of speeding at this location. Residents are very concerned about the safety of children walking to and from school and pedestrian traffic in this area.
Harry Sylvester offered to paint lines at this intersection to clearly show where the travel lanes were located. Residents felt this would also benefit traffic flow at this location. Members of the Traffic Committee felt that a request to the Board of Selectmen to conduct a traffic study of this intersection may be warranted in the future should the stop sign and lines not improve problems at this location.
Philip Resca made a motion to recommend to the Board of Selectmen to (1) re-approve the stops signs recommended at the November 15, 2000 Traffic Committee meeting, (2) paint lines at the intersection to define traffic lanes, and (3) recommend that funds be set aside to retain a traffic design engineer should the mitigating measures not prove adequate at this intersection. Harry Sylvester seconded this with all in favor. The Traffic Committee will revisit this topic in six months to ascertain if these measure have improved conditions at this intersection.
Richard Railsback came before the Committee asking for a 3-way stop at the intersection of Station and North Streets. He said speed and vehicle acceleration are major problems on North Street from the Square to Rt. 3A. While the Committee understood these concerns, they felt that the criteria for putting up stop signs in this area would not be met, and should not be recommended. Sgt. Horte suggested that after this intersection is rebuilt the Traffic Committee revisit this topic to see if conditions have improved.
The third topic discussed was a request by a merchant on Station Street to put a time limit on certain parking spaces in anticipation of the new restaurant opening at the former Settles Glass location. Richard Heapes owns the block of 27-41 Station Street and was speaking about the 7 parking spaces in front of this building as well as 3 parking spaces he owns to the side of the building. John Heapes owns the Sub Galley and said they had spoken to all the other tenants of this block. All were in favor of limiting parking to 30 minutes in these spots. Richard Heapes conducted a study (copy attached) which details number of customers and times on a Thursday and Friday. The merchants which occupy this block are concerned about customers for the new restaurant parking for more than 1-2 hours in these spots. They feel they will lose a significant amount of business if their customers consistently can’t find a place to park within close proximity to their businesses.
Harry Sylvester made a motion to recommend to the Board of Selectmen that the parking spaces at 27-41 Station Street be limited to 30 minutes, 7 days a week, from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm. This was seconded by Paul Healey with all in favor.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 PM.
cc: Town Clerk