Link back to Traffic Committee Meeting Minutes
Police Chief Taylor A.B. Mills, Chairman
Sgt. Steven Dearth, Representative for Chief Mills
Lt. John Haley, Representative for Chief Mark Duff
Harry Sylvester, DPW
Paul K. Healey, Planning Board
Leslie Kehoe
Scott Peterson, Esquire
James Costello
TO: Board of Selectmen
FROM: Chief Taylor Mills
RE: Minutes of 3/31/11 Traffic Comm/Hingham Schools Subcommittee Meeting
DATE: April 1, 2011
PRESENT:
Steven Dearth, Sergeant, Hingham Police Department
Harry Sylvester, Hingham DPW
Paul K. Healey, Hingham Planning Board
James Costello
NOT PRESENT:
Lt. John Haley
Leslie Kehoe
Scott Peterson
REPRESENTING HINGHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS:
Dr. Dorothy Galo, Superintendent of Schools
John Ferris, Director of Business and Support Services
Eliza Burns, Principal of South Elementary School
ALSO PRESENT: Ted Alexiades – Town Administrator
Sgt. Dearth called the meeting of the Sub Committee to order at 7:05 pm. and
introduced Dorothy Galo, Superintendent of Schools who stated that the purpose
of this meeting was to get the ideas and input of parents and residents of the Liberty
Pole neighborhood and come up with a resolution to the problem of overflow parking
on Independence Lane from South Elementary School. Dr. Galo said that the Liberty
Pole Car Loop, which was initiated by Principal Eliza Burns, has greatly improved the
situation since its inception in late November 2010 but the fact remains that there is
still a problem with cars blocking access to Independence Lane. Those in attendence
from the neighborhood were then invited to share their thoughts and ideas with the
Sub Committee.
Myrna Fellers of Brewster Road – the school needs to provide more education on the matter so that parents are aware of the places that they shouldn’t be parking and if there is an alternative place to park instead of on Independence Lane. Also, perhaps signage on one side of the road would be a solution.
Tisha Peterson of Brewster Road – the Liberty Pole Car Loop is a success for Independence Lane congestion and this appears to be more of a seasonal problem. Install a School Zone sign. Installing No Parking signs on both sides of Independence Lane will only push problem elsewhere.
Margaret Doyle of Minuteman Road – parent of a kindergartener – the Liberty Pole Car Loop isn’t convenient and traffic is forced onto Main Street. Agrees that more education is needed for parents and residents but also feels that the area needs proper signage which would encourage compliance.
Michelle Grady of Independence Lane – the Loop has helped but they need to designate where people can park. Loring Hill Road would be an option since there is a crossing guard as well as crosswalk. Also suggested putting signage at the triangle area only or another option of rerouting cars at the bottom of Independence Lane.
Bruce Fought of Independence Lane – offered safety vests to Principal Burns for the South School walkers. Also mentioned option of using Grenadier Road, to stagger pickup times and to extend no parking signs.
Linda Sharkansky of Hancock Road – Loop is great and feels that the system is working.
Reeducation and vigilance is needed. Likes idea of rechanneling traffic on Independence
Lane which would be the best and safest option. Respect is needed by all as well as the
need to simplify the process. No parking signs could hamper access to the playground.
Does not want signage and feels that the School Department/taxpayers should not be
required to pay for them. Instead the residents of Independence Lane should pay for
the signage.
Steven MacAloon of Independence Lane – the bottom line is safety and the ability of emergency vehicles to be able to access the street. The solution of no parking on one side would be a solution but which side. Need to have a solution which is amenable to all. Long term solution would be posting no parking signs at triangle since cars parking there are blocking access to Liberty Pole.
Chris Donovan of Independence Lane – Car Loop improved situation by 90%. The issue is really 30 min. per day from 3:00-3:30 pm. during school days. Does not want 16 signs on street. If No Parking signs must be placed, put them on the triangle only for enforcement purposes. Also need Slow Children or Caution signs.
Sarah Goldman of Independence Lane – No Parking signs should be at the triangle and on one side of the street.
Jerry Tarrell of Patriots Way – favors posting No Parking signs on one side of road on Independence Lane but alternate every 6 months to be fair to all. Observed that traffic problem seems to be worse with the later release time. Dr. Galo concurred that schools with later release times have more problems but they need to have different release times to stagger buses. Two schools need to have early release times and two need to be later. Would have to double the number of buses otherwise which isn’t an option.
Carol Costello of Pioneer Road – lives .9 miles from school and has a kindergartener. Praised the efforts of Principal Burns and the success of the Car Loop but agrees more need to be done. Also praised the Traffic Committee for their work on the issue. Cited parking problem at school during school hours as there is nowhere for volunteers to park. Would it be possible to expand the lower level for parking?
Lana Dale – Hitching Post Road – lives one mile from school. Stated that she wasn’t informed of the parking regulations and would like to have flyers with instructions. Doesn’t see a need for a lot of signage but would agree with having no parking on one side of Independence Lane.
Jen Moyer of Colonial Road – need to focus on cost effective solution based on compliance. Need more education and not signage. Post information on the South School website and in the PTO newsletter. Also praised Principal Burns’ effort and her diligence in trying to rectify the traffic problem.
Denise Hall of Brewster Road – the problem is seasonal and the Liberty Pole Car Loop should alleviate congestion most of the time.
Mary O’Connor of Independence Lane/Liberty Pole Road – have signs stating No Parking during certain hours of the day such as from 2:00 pm. – 4:00 pm.
Facts and Figures – there are 141 walkers at South Elementary School – most of whom live in the Liberty Pole area. There are approximately 110 on staff at South School. There are 25 cars using the Car Loop on a day with good weather.
Sgt. Dearth asked for the opinions of each of the members of the Traffic Committee and the School Department in attendence:
Paul Healey (Planning Board) – walked with his wife on Saturday from Brewster Road to South School which is .9 miles at a leisurely pace and it took 25 min. He can understand why walking isn’t always feasible for children and parents. Mr. Healey reported that he met with Sgt. Dearth, Harry Sylvester (DPW) and Ted Alexiades (Town Administrator) on 3/30/11 at 3:00 pm. to observe the situation. The lower parking lot was not full but otherwise it was busy for 10 minutes (or as one person described it, ten minutes of chaos). There were no cars on Independence Lane at the time. The school is a compact site which is fully utilized and heavily used. The fear is that a child will get hit on the road. The dilemma is also that Independence Lane has a right to emergency vehicle access. We need to make this work and respect the concerns of neighbors. Hingham Police Department needs to be able to act and enforce to ensure the safety of the children and the neighborhood. Possible solution – have no parking signs during certain hours.
James Costello – based on tonight’s discussion, the Car Loop is a success but hasn’t resolved the problem entirely. Signage is needed at the triangle to alert people that they cannot park there. The consensus seems to be that signage on one side of Independence Lane is amenable but there is a process which must be followed first. This is a public safety issue and the problem of one emergency vehicle being unable to access the road is one time too many. The discussion has been helpful in getting ideas for a solution to the problem.
Sgt. Steven Dearth (Hingham Police Department) – need to resolve this problem. HPD needs signage to be able to enforce and to have clearly stated rules. Signage at the triangle. Need to resolve the problem quickly.
Dr. Dorothy Galo – Develop a plan for further education. Need signs at triangle and perhaps No Parking on one side of Independence Lane. She wants police enforcement as a deterrent.
Harry Sylvester (DPW) – when asked if a crosswalk would be a solution, Harry stated that crosswalks cannot be installed anywhere but must meet certain criteria. Independence Lane doesn’t have sidewalks, there is no safe landing zone or proper line of sight for safe visibility. A crosswalk is not an option at this location. We can’t encourage parking on streets that weren’t designed for parking. The problems come to us which is when signage is brought into play (HHS for example).
Ted Alexiades (Town Administrator) – An incremental approach should be taken to rectify the problem by working together toward a solution.
The Traffic Committee will meet again next week on 4/5/11 at 7:00 pm. to further
discuss a recommendation to the Board of Selectmen regarding this issue.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jan Jacobson
Administrative Assistant
Hingham Police Department