Minutes
Public Ways Safety Committee
Bolton, Massachusetts
May 27, 2009
Members present: Leslie Breeze (Co-Chair), Mary Ciummo, Rob Hagopian, Deborah Kellett, Cia Ochsenbein, Peter Ross
Guests: Chief Vincent Alfano, Sgt. Andrew Bagdonas of Bolton PD, Thomas Kittler.
Minutes from the May 13th meeting were approved and accepted.
YIELD TO STOP SIGNS:
Reviewed the Master List of PWSC initial recommendations regarding changes in 21 existing Yield signs. With one exception, Police concurred with PWSC recommendations.
Chase St. Extension @ Wattaquadoc: Police feel this should be a Stop, not a Yield, due to heavy traffic. Also needs to have incorrect painted Stop line removed until signage is corrected (cannot have painted Stop line with a Yield sign). Chief Alfano will speak to DPW about removing inappropriate Stop line here and at Sargent @ Wattaquadoc.
The recommendations for remaining intersections stand, with the following amendments as noted:
- Autumn Lane @ Still River – No change
- Ballville @ Wilder – Change to Stop
- Berlin @ Wattaquadoc – No change, but improve brush cutting for visibility. Chief Alfano will speak to DPW about brush clearing.
- Chase St. Extension @ Wattaquadoc – As above
- Danforth Lane @ Hudson Rd (85) – Change to Stop. Need to check if accepted as Town road.
- Drumlin Hill @ Warner – Change to Stop. Not yet Town road; explore developer mitigation when built out.
- Farm @ Berlin – Change to Stop
- Farm @ So. Bolton – No change
- Frye @ Berlin – Change to Stop. Consider making signage same as Berlin x So. Bolton.
- Green @ Harvard – No change. Paint lines need some clarification.
- Jordan @ Berlin – Change to Stop
- Jordan @ Randall – Change to Stop. Brush clearing may fix; Chief Alfano will speak to DPW.
- Lively (S) @ So. Bolton – No change
- Lively (N) @ So. Bolton – Change to Stop. Anticipate increase in traffic on completion of Century Mills development.
- Meadow @ Long Hill – Change to Stop for Left Turn, keep Right Turn as Yield. Traffic has been increasing, so intersection merits Stop for Left Turns.
- Oak Trail @ Ballville – Change to Stop. There is no sign presently (Yield missing).
- Randall @ Old Bay – No change
- Sargent @ Wattaquadoc – Change to Stop. Old Yield sign missing, but Stop line painted on the road. Chief Alfano will speak to DPW about removing Stop line.
- Spectacle Hill @ So. Bolton – No change
- Sugar @ East End – No change
- Wheeler @ So. Bolton – No change
PWSC will review changes recommended by Police. Once full agreement is reached, PWSC will request BOS approval of changes (including any needed changes to Traffic Rules and Orders). Police will be glad to co-sponsor and to attend any meetings with BOS in support of our mutually agreed upon list.
GENERAL DISCUSSION ITEMS: Several other topics of mutual interest were touched upon briefly:
Brush Cutting: There is currently no by-law governing vegetation on private property. Chief Alfano says he has usually had good results when he has asked the property owner to improve visibility.
MUTCD Templates for Stop and Yield paint lines: MUTCD requires different pavement markings for Stop and Yield signed intersections (straight line for Stop, triangle for Yield – Section 3B16). Chief Alfano will speak with DPW Director Harold Brown about having paint lines match MUTCD requirements.
Fence By-Law: Peter Ross presented his research work on fencing by-laws in Town, with PWSC concerns about fencing and visibility for drivers. Police were supportive.
Road Signs: Police prefer red road identification signs to other colors due to greater nighttime visibility. They also endorse the notion of additional directional road identification markers piggy backed on traffic signs (e.g. names of crossing roads with directional arrows mounted below Intersection Ahead sign).
Update on 495 N Traffic Lights: Chief Alfano noted that lights may be operational by mid-summer.
Repainting traffic lanes under 495 overpass between ramps: West bound traffic forms two lanes here, one for through traffic and/or turning onto Sugar Rd., and another for those going to the left turn lane onto 495 S. Chief Alfano will explore with Mass. Highway the possibility of painting lane lines there to improve safety and provide visible guidance to motorists.
Triangle, Manor/Main/Harvard and Wattaquadoc: General discussion of lights, one way traffic and other ways to improve safety at Manor/Harvard/Main, where motorists attempting to turn Left onto Main from Manor are responsible for a high number of accidents.
Library: General discussion of traffic concerns when Library returns to Main St. location. Police supportive of crosswalk somewhere in vicinity of Library and Murphy Insurance Building. Some concerns about safety with on street parking in the present parking/break down lane.
ACTION ITEMS CARRIED OVER:
- Peter Ross will continue work on drafting a first draft for a Fence By-Law
- Cia Ochsenbein will provide draft letter for BOS regarding Sidewalk Mitigation fund
- Meadow View Acres plan needs to be reviewed, discussed and any concerns submitted to Planning Board prior to Planning Board meeting of June 24
- Town Administrator (Donald Lowe) to be guest at our next meeting (June 10)
- Rob Hagopian will do any needed follow-up/confirmation with DPW Harold Brown for our proposed summer meeting with him.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
The next meeting is scheduled for 7:00 on Wednesday, June 10, 2009.
Minutes submitted by Deborah Kellett
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