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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-10-30-TSAC-minTown of Lexington Traffic Safety Advisory Committee MEMORANDUM #0310 TO: Leo McSweeney, Chairman Board of Selectmen FROM: Eric Zanin, Chairman Chairman Traffic Safety Advisory Committee MEETING DATE:. December 1, 2003 SUBJECT: TSAC Minutes from October 30, 2003 The following are the minutes from the October 30th TSAC meeting: 1. Request: No Parking in front of 394 Lowell Street By: Sharon Spaulding Spaulding Management Corporation 490 Virginia Road Concord, MA 01742 Supporting Arguments: Parking in front of 394 Lowell Street obstructs sight lines for vehicles exiting the drive on #394. Area is "gored" for a lane change transition. Abutting properties owners were notified and have not opposed request. Recommendation: Committee concurred with request and will implement signage in support of the No Parking regulation. S— -0 5. 'o%U&J, 0p.,-11-4,- 2. Request: Speed humps a i d crosswalks Peacock Farm Road By: Mary Lou Touart Chair, Peacock Farms Board of Trustees P.O. Box 297 Lexington, MA 02420 Supporting Arguments: The street is a "cut through" between Route 2 and Mass. Avenue which has a significant volume of fast vehicular traffic. The winding nature of the street, coupled with excessive speed, could be the cause of numerous accidents resulting in local property damage. Given the population of the street and the general use areas (i.e. a private pool association and path to Sutherland Park) this street has a significant amount of pedestrian traffic. The street is narrow and has no sidewalks making it dangerous to pedestrians. Many children cross the street to the neighborhood pool and the playground which do not crosswalks. In fact there are no crosswalks anywhere on Peacock Farm Road or Baker Avenue. Recommendation: Install 2 crosswalks at the entrances to the neighborhood pool. Examine moving the school bus stop to a potentially safer location at the proposed crosswalk and pool entrance. 3. Request: Remove Green Light Trip from Brookside Avenue By: Mary Neumeier 2 Pitcairn Place Lexington, MA 21421 Supporting Arguments: When opposing traffic is light, cars exiting Brookside Avenue quickly enter on to Waltham Street, tripping the light and unnecessarily holding up traffic on Waltham Street, Ms. Neumeier's request is to remove the red light trigger and install a pedestrian trigger to allow pedestrians to cross Waltham Street. This would purportedly improve the intersection's efficiency. Recommendation: The committee feels there is no need to change the status quo based on vehicle traffic exiting Brookside Avenue. Discussion: TSAC acknowledged the intersection functions inefficiently with low exiting volume on Brookside Avenue but believed it was necessary for the red light to assist the large volumes of cars exiting during usage of the Clarke School and facilities. TSAC considered limiting the timing of the Waltham Street red light trigger to school drop -off and pick -up but believed it would be difficult to determine in advance all the school and facility functions. 4. Request: "Caution Children" on Larchmont Lane, Crosswalk on Revere Street at Larchmont. By: Bob Ruxin and Peggy Shu kur 8 Larchmont Lane Lexington, MA 02420 Supporting Arguments: Larchmont Lane is a "cut through" for motorists avoiding the light at Bedford and Revere. It is a narrow road with no sidewalk. It is difficult for residents on Larchmont Lane to cross Revere Street at Larchmont because of the speed of vehicles on. Revere Street. Mr. Richard Hoover, a paraplegic at 18 Larchmont Lane, also wrote TSAC supporting the request for a crosswalk. There was a "Caution Children" on Larchmont Lane in the past. It was knocked down and has not been replaced. Recommendation: The "Caution Children" sign on Larchmont Lane should be replaced. Discussion: TSAC does not recommend a crosswalk on Revere Street. There is currently a crosswalk with a pedestrian button at the comer of Bedford and Revere and a crosswalk with significant volume at Revere and the Minuteman Bikeway. TSAC believes that a crosswalk at Larchmont and Revere would serve relatively few pedestrians. 5. Request: NO TURN ON RED Regulation at Waltham St. and Worthen Road By: Kathy Haller - McNeil 56 Baskin Road Lexington, MA 02421 Selina Miller 298 Marrett Road Lexington, MA 02421 Supporting Arguments: This intersection receives a high pedestrian crossing and vehicular volume due to its proximity to the school. Right turns on red conflict with the pedestrian WALK phase creating a potential problem for pedestrians. Recommendation: NO TURN ON RED for the Worthen Road southbound approach. Discussion: TSAC was concerned about the effect of the no turn on red regulation on the intersection particularly the potential backup of the Worthen Road queue towards Bushnell Drive. However, TSAC believed it was more important to provide an exclusive pedestrian phase at this intersection. Dist: Richard J. White; Town Manager, William Hadley; DPW Director; Peter Chalpin; Town Engineer; Gail Wagner Transportation Services Coordinator.