Link back to Traffic Committee Meeting Minutes
TOWN OF HINGHAM
TRAFFIC COMMITTEE
Police Chief Taylor A. B. Mills, Chairman
Sgt. David Horte, Representative for Chief Mills
Lt. John Haley, Representative for Chief Mark Duff
Harry Sylvester, DPW
Paul K. Healey, Planning Board
Philip Resca
Leslie Kehoe
Michael Pevarnik
TO: Board of Selectmen
FROM: Chief Taylor Mills
RE: Minutes of January 28, 2009 Traffic Committee Meeting
DATE: January 29, 2009
PRESENT: Sgt. Horte NOT PRESENT: Lt. Haley
Harry Sylvester Paul Healey
Leslie Kehoe Philip Resca
Michael Pevarnik
Sgt. Horte called the meeting to order at 7:04 PM. Discussion ensued regarding a subject addressed at the previous meeting. Committee members had discussed the fact that most of their recommendations to the Selectmen involved the Department of Public Works installing a sign, painting a crosswalk, etc. This puts an additional strain on the DPW’s budget. After discussion Harry Sylvester made a motion that the Traffic Committee request that the Board of Selectmen allocate some type of funding so that materials requested by the Traffic Committee don’t come out of the DPW’s budget. Sgt. Horte seconded this with all in favor.
A motion was made by Sgt. Horte to accept the minutes of the previous meeting. Leslie Kehoe seconded this with all in favor.
The Committee re-addressed the topic of MBTA bus stops at Hingham Shipyard. Sgt. Horte said he had spoken with Katy Lacy of the Planning Board and agreed with the Planning Board’s recommendation of Option One. Discussion ensued on “free parking” areas and members’ understanding of Shipyard Drive as well as the safest option for pedestrians. The Committee members unanimously felt that Option One with two bus stops, one on each side of Shipyard Drive, was the better of the two options.
A resident’s request for a crosswalk in the area of Main and Westmoreland Streets was again revisited. Harry Sylvester said this area doesn’t meet any of the criteria for a crosswalk. Michael Pevarnik said a crosswalk in this area would give pedestrians a false sense of security, and pointed out that there is a crosswalk just a short distance away at Main and Grenadier. Members also pointed out that this area has a large volume of traffic, and Sgt. Horte stated the results of a traffic study showed the speeds on Main Street at this location were higher than recommended for a crosswalk. All members felt the key to not installing a crosswalk at this location was the lack of sight distance. Harry Sylvester stated that they get more calls to remove snowbanks at this location than any other in town, and that impedes sight distance even more. Due to all the above reasons, the Traffic Committee cannot recommend a crosswalk be put at Main and Westmoreland Streets.
Members again discussed placement of a crosswalk at Main and Gardner Streets which was requested by Jennifer Love of 100 Gardner Street. They felt this was a much better location, mostly due to the great sight distance at this location and the sidewalk configuration in this area. After further discussion, Harry Sylvester made a motion that the Traffic Committee recommend to the Board of Selectmen that a crosswalk and landings be installed in the area of Main and Gardner Streets. Leslie Kehoe seconded this with all in favor.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 PM.
cc: Town Clerk