e e e e hello everyone and welcome to the July 18th 2024 traffic Commission meeting in attendance we have Chief brigh uh our city engineer Nick rrom and I believe Chief Callahan as well okay I'm Chris cham the superintendent of Public Works and I'll be the chair for tonight's meeting would you guys all mind standing for the pledge of allegiance to the flag United States of one naice okay now we'll move on to the public hearing portion of our meeting the first public hearing is a request to install a traffic caling speed bump on Mount nav to be located 20 ft east of Kilburn street do we have any proponents for that good afternoon Mr chairman members of the commission Paul genio 245 Reservoir Avenue Ward for city council I'm completely in favor of this installation of the speed bump as you know Mountain Avenue is straight away goes for over a mile and it lends itself uh for speeding so I I think this location is is a perfect spot for a uhu for a speed bump and and hopefully it uh slows the cars down thank you thank you are there any other proponents are there any where where are the uh kilborn traffic speed bump is this related to that no not okay well that's going to have to wait until we get through these all right are there any opponents for the speed bump do we have any comments from the commission uh Mr chairman um if I could yes I took a look at this location um the location uh with regard to intersections and with regard to existing um driveways and whatnot um this is really the probably the best place uh for uh this type of of implementation along um Mountain na and I would agree with uh councelor agenzio uh the slope of mountain Na and the relative straightaway does lend itself to um you know speeding um and so this is a a the appropriate measure uh for that location okay thank you very much Nick um is there a motion on the table motion to either approve or deny this Mr chairman I make a motion to approve uh as written is there a second I'll second that I'll second that Mr chairman thank you so first item of our public hearing has been approved oh all I'm sorry all those in favor I all all those opposed approved all right the next item is amend schedule five of title 10 oneway streets location being Cambridge Cambridge Street direction southernly from Mountain AV to park AV do we have any proponents for this Mr chairman members of the commission Paul aen 245 Reservoir Avenue Ward for city council I was approached by several uh residents from Cambridge Street about Cambridge Street being used as a cut through people uh coming off of Warren vain Reservoir cutting coming down south Cambridge cutting across Park Avenue and up Cambridge uh that's why we uh hopefully the direction of this one way will be southernly from uh Mountain to park and as these cars cut through when they get there they they'll have to go left or right so it'll kind of break up the traffic and not make uh Cambridge Street the cut through to get to Adam straight um I hopefully you'll uh approve this measure thank you what actually one question for you Paul would just in your experience do you think this would direct traffic to make another cut through Street further up or down this just push it along or you think this would actually help right so so this is across South Cambridge is directly across so when people come down if they are trying to cut through some will go left some will go right and it'll break it up a little bit the same thing happened years ago on Irving Street uh people would come down south Irving use it as a cut through Straight Up Irving and that was made do not enter for that same reason and now that's kind of broken up okay thank you thank you are there any other proponents good afternoon oh okay sorry about that I'm a little nervous uh chairman chera traffic commission um it's been quite a few years that um people have been racing as Paul has said down south Cambridge Street all the way across Park AV and shooting up Cambridge and crossing over but they're flying you know I go out there in the morning with my dog and the other day I almost got killed cuz she had been going at least 60 mil an hour but it's not just once it happens over and over again and it's a crossover um I just think that it would be a lot better if they came from you know if it was one way coming down instead of going up because you have that big slope secondly in the winter time it's very difficult to um get up Cambridge Street when it's snow and ice and I've he even seen the um fire trucks back down um along with school buses and I have cameras on my home so I can see how many people and we're talking hundreds and hundreds as you all know so I am definitely in favor of it coming down from Mount nav into um towards Pac thank you all right thank you very much there any other proponents good afternoon um my name is Michael evall I reside at 12 Cambridge Street I've been there 35 years now um I think it definitely be beneficial for the residents of the area to have Cambridge Street a oneway from Mountain down to pack um as Grace said the um the street one is narrow um so if somebody's going both ways you have to try to pull over um if it's a wide vehicle you have to go up on the sidewalk to let another vehicle pass also as mentioned in the winter that Hill gets icy um I've slid Backwoods on it because I had a stop at Mountain a and I have gone back um so I I believe it would be a great benefit to Residents there thank you thank you very much is it it are there any other proponents are there any opponents nope closing that side do we have any comments from the commission Mr chairman um my only concern is that so Cambridge right now is is a two-way yeah deam is a one way coming down um Barrett is is a oneway go is a two-way but you can go up um I just have concern that you're going to be pushing all of this traffic that's going up all over to the next street um and then we'll you know we're going to be having this conversation about Barrett um so I I just have concern that we're moving we're not really addressing the problem but we're moving it to another Street that's just a general comment thank you uh does Fire Police have any issues with like First Responders on this road but making it a one way do you guys think that would be negatively affect either one of you guys I don't see any negative impact if it was changed okay no but I do share uh commissioner ROM's concern about moving the problem to another Street you know we going to take a hard look at which Streets Run which way and maybe they all have to alternate you know nor North and South okay Mr chairman we did at one point look at all of the streets along pav um as a whole the larger problem that we have to address all of the streets at once I don't want to just set this in stone as one particular and then we'll just move down the road I i' like to address address this all as one right one issue U Mr chairman we have done some streets uh it's kind it is peace meal um some residents do not want their streets one way we just did furnace Street uh and that is working out uh well uh we've done Irving uh Kilburn's One Way Dam's one way alon's one way and uh in response to Mr rrom yes some cars will go right and go up Barrett Street they could go left go up Essex go up furnace so it it kind of Mo moves the traffic either left or right to just break up that cut through I I don't believe any street that is straight across from the streets on the south side should be one way um it's working on furnace the residents are happy so I I don't see anything catastrophic about just taking this street and make it one way uh and then we'll uh we'll take it from there okay in my opinion all right um is there a motion on the table either to approve or deny this motion to approve is there a second I'll second that all those in favor I all those opposed I motion is approved [Applause] the next item is amend schedule 8 of title 10 parking restrictions generally by removing no parking from the odd side of the street and adding no parking to the even side of the street this is on River a from Mills to Hayes no parking on either side of the street do we have any proponents for this item hi good evening commissioner good evening counselor Council Angela Gino s 15 bit manav okay so a few months ago we changed the parking um in the entire Riverside area and we did uh the oddside parking what this street is there are three driveways that are on the odd side those three driveways that are located there are at least 20 foot long there is not enough parking for the people that live on that street to park there so the logical thing would be for them to park on the even side and what's what's happening is there are people that are constantly getting ticketed because they don't want to fight with their neighbor to park in front of their house across the stre Street either and it's like one ticket after the other after the other so how many tickets can one family who's been living there for the longest time actually get and this is to no fault no fault of their own because there's no parking so the logical thing would be to just move the parking on the opposite side for River a where there's ample parking for the entire Street yeah after looking this is I tend to agree with you there seems to be an extra three almost three extra space is If It Moves the opposite side I think it's like three and a half yeah yeah all right thank you counselor are there any other uh proponents for this Joe Edmonds 10 River AV um so I wasn't sure about the determining Factor as to what you know makes a decision on what side to choose um I felt it should go by linear uh curb feet and this more more curb feet on the even side correct um you know we've never had a problem down there all these years and uh there's an old lady across the street I'm trying not to you know pck there's actually one space in front of her house that everybody could P at and we're trying not to you know bother her and uh that's that's pretty much it thank you all right there any other proponents closing that side are there any opponents to this none okay we'll close that side do we have any comments or concerns from the commission Mr chairman um logically makes sense to me that the side that has the fewer driveways would be the side that you would want to have the parking and it seems like that's what we are trying to achieve by moving it from one side to the other um in that case I'll make a motion to approve is there a second I'll second that motion is approved I'm sorry all those in favor I I I all those opposed motion is approved may I may I make a request can the signs go up tomorrow so people are aware we're going to have to just give me give me give me the give me till Monday at least let the parking Department know I will let the parking Department thank you s castles are very difficult to travel down there this weekend okay our next item in our list is to establish two lanes on win AV heading towards Broadway between low Street and Beach Street at Immaculate Conception to provide a right turn lane onto Beach Street left turn straight Lane for Beach Street and winter Bev uh the second half of that is to establish two lanes on Beach Street from Harrington Street to Winter bath heading towards winter bath to provide a right turn lane onto winter bath and left turn straight Lane onto winter bin Beach so this already in effect exists I don't know if this is much of an issue with anyone but um this is something I mean yeah well we can just add this to the restriping it was actually faded up on the on the winter bath side but I don't see a problem with this at all are there any opponents or proponents for this measure no okay um well then motion to approve or deny motion to approve is there a second second all those in favor I motion approved all right the issue with the parking the pupil parking plates is no longer has been taken off of our yeah that I gu believe that one's been settled no we we settled that it's it was withdrawn okay all right on to the requests we our first request the mayor requests that the traffic commission approved the installation of a speed bump on Walnut a in the interest of Public Safety for the senior residents of 50 W AV do we have a representative to speak on this yes you do thank you Mr chairman ionov selski 53d hon Street w i counselor um this is uh this part of Walnut A is for the senior citizens at the Heyman Tower and the other residents people come around that cont and they don't even stop at the stop sign and come pouring around and we do have a pedestrian stanion there in front of 50 Walnut but cars don't recognize it they just keep flying down I know I myself have several times that have parked in that neighborhood on that street have almost got hit by people and I've yelled at them and they gave me you know a couple words that we can't say right now uh uh but you know this is a request for a public hearing um the neighbors of far it will when we come in for the public hearing we'll have a petition all signed by all the neighborhood and we're looking for some safety for our seniors down there thank you coun all right do we have any motions on the floor to send this to public hearing Mr chairman um um I make a motion to send this to a public hearing um in the meantime we can just take a look at um the location and where exactly the most appropriate uh place would be agreed agreed all right is there a second second all those in favor all those opposed I approved it's a public hearing item number six all right the mayor requests that the traffic commission considered a no left turn on Northshore road to Cove Street during school hours unless you are a resident of Cove Street the traffic ingestion is out of control and dangerous Vehicles block the intersection make illegal u-turns and incessantly beep horns while students are trying to cross the street Stanish Road can handle the traffic flow much better than Cove Street is there someone like to speak up councelor I'm back you are back uh gentlemen Commissioners iron noeli 53d hone Street uh I did receive calls from the residents and what's happening when people are coming Southbound on Nora road trying to go to the school they try to they go want to take that left at Cove Street so the residents and it backs up traffic and they kind take the turn because all the traffic coming north on narha road so they've asked that um there' be no left turn uh from Northbound between the hours in 79 and also from whenever school gets out I'm going to say uh 2 2 to 4: or 1:30 to 3:30 something to that effect so yeah I think around three we're looking you know for your opinion on it and uh look for the public hearing and if enough people come up and really feel strongly about it um okay we last that it be done my concern would be the signage on that what would the signage look like because they want to allow it for residents to be able to make this turn that might be difficult uh if you know if you put no left turn between these hours uh uh no left turn residents only no I don't know something you can work work work something out yeah it's okay all right um Mr chairman yes uh just point of information um um this body does uh as noell road is a state road this body does not have authority to make changes um to traffic anything that's going to cause traffic changes to that road has to be something that um is brought before and approved by mot uh prior okay Mr chairman if I may uh and I'm partially correct and uh to Mr ROM but you know ner road is a uh residential area and mass thought has we we've made all changes all through the years I'd say for the last 20 years we've done changes we've done 30 minute parking we've done 2hour parking we've done no right turns we've you know and so many other things and mass thought and I've spoken to them myself they're not super concerned about that portion they plow it and that's the extent of their responsibility uh and they don't they they told me that they really don't care what we do within reason okay you know so you know if you feel this is within reason or not within reason uh let's you know I'd say let's hear from the people and uh see what they say and if it means that we can we approve it and Mast do denies it afterwards so be it would you mind would you guys like to table this until we can reach out to some of a mast do and get their approval beforehand yeah i' I think that's appropriate move to a public caring and in the meantime yeah I've spoken to Mark fratman you know you know maybe we'll have an answer next month uh September whenever we're going to meet next so there's one motion um there's one motion for a public hearing is there a second for that I'll second that okay so move to public hearing thank you but in the meantime I'd like reach out we someone to reach out to Mt do mattman has been out leas on from there so my only issue would be the um signage the resident portion of that signage I I it's possible but a no leftand turn I don't see unless you are a resident in there anywhere and actually there's only there's only four residents on that street okay and a couple of them are just a handicapped and uh they baril come out of the house and so all right thank you than counselor Mr chairman just one more point with regard to the um resident own um you know my concern is just how do you enforce that part of it yeah that's I agree I think that you know you need to it needs to be no left turn for everybody during those time periods I would have to agree with you I don't know how you would differentiate yeah that's yeah and I I understand what you're saying uh the only issue is Cove Street is a one way so coming uh going down to Garfield so if we if we restrict it to them they have to go all the way around so so we're talking about making it a no left turn onto a street that's one way so one way going going down going uh eastbound but then the no left term would say you can't go down the the correct way yeah right so I'm not sure yeah that might be very difficult I understand that I don't know if that's even well we could talk to the the state but I don't see how that would even let's let's table this and talk to the state before we push this any further I like there's a couple logistic things I'd like to talk about that's fine I dra my motion thank you councelor thank you so that motion is tabled all right um our last item of requests is amend schedule 11 of title 10 handicap person parking by adding 288 Crescent AV number one do we have a oh you know what ly provided us with some information at the back of our packet pertaining to this resident is there anyone just speak on that 288 Crescent no so I guess Ralph too did provide us with um the app application did you guys see as yeah it should be at the back yeah so apparently there's no driveway for this unit all right are there any motions on the floor from our Mr chairman I make a motion to move this to a public hearing there's one do we have a second second all those in favor hi I move to public hearing all right and lastly we have a presentation from William meritz from tyan Bond like to speak to the traffic about a grant about the Mast doot safe roots to school program William good evening thank you good evening so I'm here on behalf of um working with massot and the Department of Community Development uh Julie dearo um the commission may be aware that the city applied for a CFE froster School Grant back in 2019 uh the city was fortunate enough to have been awarded that Grant uh the grant is roughly $350,000 for improvements around the Beachmont uh um elementary school Veterans Memorial School uh this at this point we're in the very early concept development phases of the project uh given that is a grant and is administered through massot is a long process uh so what we're looking to do tonight is just to give the the commission um an idea of what the project is moving forward so we can get some sort of concurrence as we move through the several design phases um through Mass do so uh you should have plans in front of you and in in essence the original application was for Ada um ramp improvements and sidewalk improvements along the limits of the project which are everod from Bennington to B is Bell is from everard to Crescent and Crescent from Bell ale to Winthrop uh so that's the limits of the project were defined based on a walking study that was done as part of the the Grant application so the scope of the project that the limits have have not changed now we're actually into um the funding have been secured we're actually moving into the design phase of the project so the project as far as the elements like I mentioned before it's ada8 compliant ramp upgrades along that stretch of roadways um the one major difference I will say is the addition of a shared use path uh it'll be a 10 to 12 foot shared use path along the frontage of the school on everad from Bennington um to Cottage uh so that's the the bigger uh of the improvements there are no improvements right now proposed on everard between Cottage and bile that has a very narrow stretch of roadway and I'll I'll get back to that in in a second on Bell is we're looking to uh improve the sidewalks essentially put in brand new cement concrete sidewalks with granite curbing uh there is no narrowing of the roadway the roadway width would would stay the same and on Crescent up to winthrip again it's ada8 compliant um crosswalks new high visibility crosswalks and we're looking to make some minor adjustments to the The Crossing traffic Islands up by winthrip uh we know it's a very complicated intersection the geometry is very difficult uh but that is one thing that that we're looking to do um one element that is being added this was a request from mut the complete streets uh group was adding a raised uh crosswalk um on everod street right down by uh the curve by um Cottage Street so that's one addition and then what will be added was all the drainage improvements uh that will be associated with that rais intersection I will say that on everage street at one point we were looking our mot had us evaluate a shared use path on everage street from Cottage to B ale um when we looked at that it's a very narrow roadway it's 18 ft now that would require the roadway to go down to 14 ft uh our concern was emergency access um the parking avail ility on that street uh in order to implement that shared use path for bicyclists and pedestrians it will require uh parking to be removed on that stretch so uh that concept has been basically taken off the table um so that stretch uh will remain as it is today the only one change that I will say on um belile is I I mentioned before we're putting in Granite curb and cement concrete sidewalks the roadway is not getting narrowed however there is no reveal on that side on the east side of bellile heading towards Crescent so cars are currently parked up on the sidewalk once the granite curb gets installed that's going to be a little bit more difficult unless you have a pick up or SUV so uh we're not looking for any parking restrictions or changes uh it will be a little bit narrower uh because Park cars will less likely or you know not have the ability to park on the curb so that's one one change that may affect um parking so uh if as far as time frame this is a ways out uh this is programmed for fiscal year 27 which means uh it's available to start October 1st of 26 there are a number of process uh and procedures we need to go through through Mass doot several design submittals um and where we're looking because it's such a long time frame and the process um is very systematic we're looking to get some concurrence that way we don't go all the way through to design and then come back uh there will be a a formal mot design public hearing after the design which will be sometime in the spring um but we'd like to have some of the ideas uh our our um questions answered ahead of time so that that meeting goes as smooth as it can be so we're not then going back to concept level and then having the process drag out schedule wise so um tonight we're really just looking for concurrence answer any questions you may have tweaks that we may um you may request as part of the design so that we can then get into design and meet the schedule to make sure we don't lose make sure the city doesn't lose this funding thank you Bill thank you yeah um I've had a hand in seeing this I know Nick has reviewed this a little I I don't think we've had any issues with this we've gone over the drainage of the crosswalk that's the only item a little the only things I think that would actually of this packet so far that would have to go in front of traffic would be the raised crosswalk and that Peninsula at the top of uh top of crest end of winter win bath but I like it any other comments you guys any concerns just just the one concern on bile if we're put um going to install a curb Curbing and everything in this parking L I'm not sure if there's parking allowed on both sides of that street right now but that's going to have to change yeah yeah I think we're not going to be currently they're parking on one side but they are parking up on the curb so it might it's res parking on both sides um as as a sign but they're pretty much occupying the whole sidewalk yeah yeah yeah okay well thank you very much right thank you we have a comment thank you Mr chairman ionova selski 53d H Street I'm the W two counc but I know the neighborhood and I don't see Joan here but um will this affect the bus stops on Bennington Street for the school because they usually have uh maybe about 100 ft from the edge of the school out to to uh uh everod I believe it is from what I'm hearing I don't believe there are any changes on Bennington street at all yeah I I'm just looking to see if there's any restrictions that may parking restrictions or that may the the bike lane or whatever they're going to do over there I haven't seen any pictures so I don't know okay no uh what they're proposing is everything all the stuff on everod street moving towards winter bath is not nothing encroaching into um Ben 18on Street I believe that was yeah trying to away from Mill like to speak they plan on doing a new sidewalk on Bennington Beyond up the length of the school no no the the the sidewalk will start I guess like as soon as you get about I'll say 10t in from benon Street ever is there any way you can extend it to the length of the school it is going the entire length of the school oh on benington street it's going from Bennington Street all long NE in front of the school I believe I believe Mast doot had an issue something on Bennington Street so the the intersection of Bennington and everard is somehow involved with the mitigation from the sub Downs project so it was it was taking out of this project because the scope of the safe food project doesn't include signalized inection I'm just questioning whether or not we can get a brand new concrete sidewalk it doesn't look like the length of the school on on Bennington Street side on Bennington Street on Bennington definitely outside yeah I thought maybe you can stretch it out a little that's thank you I don't believe so but thank you coun all right that that sums up our agenda and that concludes our meeting is there a motion to adjourn make a motion to adjourn motion to adjourn all right uh if you have a motion that you want to present you have to present it to a counselor to get it onto our schedule