HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987-11-20-TSAC-min-pelham.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON
TRAFFIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEMORANDUM
TO: John C. Eddison, Chairman DATE: November 20, 1987
Board of Selectmen
FROM: °eter M. Chalpin, Chairman SUBJECT: Pelham Road and Mass. Ave.
Traffic Safety Advisory Com e Armenian Sister's Academy
At its meeting of November 18, 1987, the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee met with
a group of parents and staff members from the Armenian Sisters' Academy to discuss
traffic conditions at Pelham Road and Massachusetts Avenue. You may recall that
this issue has been raised in the past, most recently in 1985 by the Westbridge
School, former occupants of the Pelham Road property. At that time, a "Vehicles
Entering Right" sign was installed on Massachusetts Avenue.
The major drawback at the intersection, a limited sight distance to the left when
leaving Pelham Road, is caused by the curve of Massachusetts Avenue and the vertical
geometry of the abutting properties at #1 Pelham Road and #1307 Massachusetts
Avenue. Despite this limitation, however, it is not a high accident location, with
four accidents reported since January 1, 1985.
The Committee recommends that the group's request for traffic signals be denied, on
the basis that none of the traffic signal warrants are satisfied. The group's
request for a flashing beacon should also be denied, because only locations with
high accident rates, indicating special hazards, warrant such beacons.
It was also mentioned by the group that many parents use alternate routes to leave
the school. The preferred alternate appears to be Eliot Road and Tavern Lane. We
did not discourage this option.
The Committee agrees that leaving Pelham Road is difficult. As such, it may be
advantageous to emphasize the existing warning sign by replacing it with a "Vehicles
Entering Right" sign which has white letters on a red background, and we recommend
this. We also recommend installing a "Stop" sign on Pelham Road under Chapter 689
of 1986.
It was also suggested that the group consider retaining a Police Detail during those
periods which are of greatest concern to them.
Those in Attendance:
Peter M. Chalpin
Dr. Clarke
Mrs. Kabat-Zinn
Sgt. Raposa
PMC:m
Enclosures:
cc: Richard J. White, Town Manager
Richard E. Spiers, Director D.F.W./Engineering
Francis X. Fields, P.E. , Town Engineer
Members Traffic Safety Committee
DOS(11-24ans.trf)