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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1966-09-29-AC-MIN.pdf 73 Meeting of the Appropriation Committee, Thursday, September 29, 1966, 7:30 p.m. Present: Messrs. Parrish, Grant, Kenney, Noyes, Perry, `Lehner, Gary, Mrs. Souza. Robert Cataldo, representing Selectmen Visitors: Mr. Storer, Mr. Goldman, and two additional citizens representing the Borman Park neighborhood group. Worthen Road Mr. Cataldo reviewed the points made in the discussion Sept. 26, 1966 and answered questions raised by the Committee. He emphasized that, if we get a suitaale connector, the Selectmen would recommend something; if they do not get a suitable connector, they would recommend nothing with respect to Worthen Ad. To finish Worthen Rd. would cost 4671,400. IfJ Mr. Gary asked what the DP'W's reaction might be if they were told that ,._.i Worthen would be built in 10 years. Cataldo: they'll leave the present design and look at it again when Worthen is finished. If there is a traffic problem, it might take an additional 10 years before it is solved. Mr. Grant asked whether there was any way of finding out what might be acceptable to the DPW. If the cost could be spread over 4 or 5 years, he felt it might be more acceptable than having to spend the money in 3 years. Mr. Cataldo stated that the DPW considers nothing beyond 1 year because they know boards change. Could the state design a connection but not build it until it was needed — when Worthen Rd. was complete? Probi,bly not. They have projects which commit their budget until 1973. If the whole area is redesigned, they would need no additional money to connect Worthen; it could be lumped with the Watertown St. contract. To do it separately later would require �-- additional funds. On their own initiative they have added the ramps at Pleasant Street so that trucks which cannot make Belmont kill can come up Mass. Ave. and Pleasant St. in order to go west on Route 2. Worthen Rd. Concept — has there been a change in the last five years in the concept of Worthen ;.td? Mr. Cataldo said that the Selectmen will ask for. a grade separation at the Worthen Rd. — Marrett Rd. intersection; the state has not agreed to this, nor even to a traffic light there. Mr. Storer requested permission to speak, not for Bowman Park Association which has taken no position on this road, Out as an interested citizen. He questioned what kind of road was goi,.g to be built here, stating that the Planning Board does not want to build Emerson Rd. through the Great Meadow because they want it to be a Lexington road, not inviting through traffic. Fifty percent of the traffic on Pleasant St. now originates outside Lexington and ends outside Town Hanscom to Boston). If Worthen Rd. is built wide, this will invite Hanscom to use it and we are likely to have to improve Bedford Street. This, he suggests, is like building a small Route 3 through Lexington with Lexington mo..ey. Additional money would be needed for intersections which are always needed next to interchanges in order to let people get off highways — this would be an additional Town expense, possibly a lege one, near the end of Worthen and at any grade separations. IIe auuea that the state has allowed for 4 interchanges, not 3 as has been discussed. The fourth is Route 3. If there is no Route 3, some other road might connect. Mr. Goldman then received permission to speak. He said that he was a resident of Pleasant St. , living two houses west of the proposed • 7.4 interchange. Since the uelectmen, two weeks ago, voted to put an item in the Warrant for a study of traffic at Watertown and Pleasant Sts. , he sug— gested that it might be wise to wait and see what this study shows. He went on to state that the P4D must act for public convenience and necessity. What the Selectmen are attempting to show at this time is that the public convenience needs something more at Worthen and something less at Watertown St. This is difficult to show. Pleasant St. does not have the traffic Watertown does and will not, at least until Worthen is finished. Them Town can go back to the PWD when it can demonstrate public need. The consensus of opinion of the Appropriation Committee was that it would not support the acceleration of the construction of Worthen Rd. Town Report Committee Louis Zehner, Chairman, reported the plans of that Committee the 1966 Town Report. They were appointed to revitalize the report. They intend to increase page size to 8- x 11, to include some pictures, and to print the report in two parts, A — State of union message, an, B — Data. Budget $3300 was appropriated last year, 4607 remains unexpended. This may be used this year for report. They can get out the report for 43300 using offset printing. Ho.rever they might wish to send a copy of part A to each household. They have an estimate from Spaulding Moss which has r been included in the following cost i'i„ures. Printing: 400 copies Part A + B (for TWO 1000 copies part A $1,900. Printing 7000 more copies Part A 1,630 Typewriter rental 112 Typist 600 Delivery (by boy scouts possibly) 200 Reproduction of photos 200 Two—color cover 45 Contingency 300 TOTAL 5,000 approx. For getting work out next fall 1,500 Mr. Zehner legit the committee to discuss this report. The Selectmen have approved these plans, including the circulation to each household. Discussion centered on the advisability of circulating Part A to each household. It was felt that once begun, this would be an annual procedure and would probably incur n additional mailing cost, if not this year, at some time in the future. Suggest testing the demand before undertaking this project, possibly by printing some more copies than are now printed of the Annual Report and making them more available to the public, e.g. in libraries and other public places. An article in the newspaper could let the public know of the new report and its availability. Recommend an annual rate of expenditure not in excess of 44,000. Respectfully submitted, Ruth F. Souza, secretary