HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-07-08-TSAC-min
Town of Lexington Traffic Safety Advisory Committee
MEMORANDUM
#0310
TO: Leo McSweeney, Chairman
Board of Selectmen
FROM: David T. Carbonneau, P.E.,
Traffic Safety Advisory Committee
DATE: 7/16/2002
SUBJECT: TSAC Meetings 6/6/2002 and 7/8/2002
The Traffic Safety Advisory Committee met on June 6, 2002 and July 8, 2002 to discuss the
following issues brought before us:
Lincoln Street, Hastings Park:
The Committee met with members of the Lincoln Street
Hastings Park neighborhood, Don Mahoney from the Hayden Recreation Center and Rabbi
Howard Jaffe of Temple Isaiah to discuss No Parking regulations and crosswalk locations in the
area. The Committee makes the following recommendations:
1.Crosswalk across Lincoln St. at Audubon
2.Crosswalk across Lincoln St. at Hayden Rink
3.NO PARKING Lincoln Street East side – Hastings to Worthen (fist 175’ already in
place)
4.NO PARKING Hastings Road opposite the Hastings Park
5.NO PARKING Lincoln St. West Side Hastings to Audubon Rd., 50’ from Worthen
and at Crosswalk to Hayden Rink.
The Committee makes these recommendations based upon the fact the Lincoln Street is not wide
enough to allow parking on both sides of the street and that the intersections with Worthen Road,
Audubon Rd. and Hastings Road should be kept clear to allow unobstructed views for vehicles
and pedestrians. The Committee also recommends that two streetlights be added on Lincoln
Street near Worthen Road to improve pedestrian and vehicular safety.
Crosswalk Marrett Road and Grassland Street:
After several meetings with residents from
the Spring Street and Prospect Hill neighborhood the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee
recommends:
1.The Selectmen request that the State install a crosswalk on Marrett Road at Downing
Street.
2.A Crosswalk be installed on Spring Street at Grassland
Crosswalk Cones:
The TSAC has received numerous requests to place cones in crosswalks
outside the Center. The TSAC believes that the cones increase the visibility of the crosswalk and
encourage vehicles to yield to pedestrians.However, the TSAC is also cognizant of the
operational burden these cones place on the Highway Division. The cones cost about $300 each
and must be replaced every two years or so due to damage or theft. They must be reset after they
are hit and must be removed from the street before plowing.
The TSAC recommends that cones be placed at locations with high pedestrian volume such as
the High School and Center Pool crossings of Worthen Road. We also recommend that
consideration be given to placing cones at the bike path crossings. The crossings at Revere
Street, Meriam Street and Hancock Street are probably too narrow to accommodate a cone.
Consideration was also given to placing a cone at the crosswalk near the Hancock Clarke House
as requested by the Tourism Committee. The TSAC was concerned that Hancock Street is not
wide enough to accommodate a crosswalk cone. The TSAC also did not believe that this
crossing should receive precedence over unsupervised school crossings and other high priority
crossings. However, the TSAC recommends that if the Tourism Committee is willing to fund
and maintain the cone the Town should not prohibit the installation.
Worthen Road Lighting:
The TSAC conducted a brief review of fatal accident data over the
past 15 years. One fact that arose out of the discussion was that there have been three fatal
accidents on Worthen Road between Bedford Street and Mass. Ave. over the past 15 years. The
TSAC, with the concurrence of the Selectmen, would like to investigate whether improved
lighting may improve safety at this location.
The following recommendations come from the Engineering Division.
Sheridan Street No Parking:
Residents on Sheridan Street have repeatedly petitioned the town
for a No Parking regulation to relieve spillover parking primarily from the Post Office. The
town has wished to address this problem in the context of a full examination of Center Parking.
However, delays in finalizing recommendations for Center Parking coupled with the severity and
specificity of the problem lead us to recommend a No Parking regulation be implemented on the
east side of Sheridan street immediately.
Depot Building No Parking:
The Parking Control Officer has requested a No Parking
regulation in front of the Depot Building to improve traffic flow. This regulation is consistent
with the plan for Depot Square and we recommend implementing it.
Dist: Richard J. White; Town Manager, William Hadley; DPW Director; Peter Chalpin; Town
Engineer; Gail Wagner Transportation Director