Messinger Street residents voice traffic concerns

Additional signage and increased traffic enforcement from the Police Department are expected in the vicinity of Messinger, Dunbar, Walnut, Bailey, and Belcher streets after several residents complained to the Traffic Study Committee about excessive speeding and street parking in the area. Residents said they are concerned about child safety, especially with the Messinger Street Playground nearby. They added that speeding is particularly noticeable on Saturdays.

Police Chief Ken Berkowitz said at Monday’s committee meeting that he would have traffic enforcement officer Brian Wanless meet with the residents who sent in letters to the committee and he expects to have more police presence in the area beginning around July 15. DPW Superintendent Mike Trotta said he would also have more “Slow Children at Play” signs installed in the area and would look into adding some flashing signs near the playground in the next budget year.

Trotta and Selectman Mark Porter said new sidewalks are not anticipated at this time due to budget constraints and the numerous requests for sidewalks throughout the town. “Adding sidewalks is a significant challenge for us,” said Porter. Trotta and Porter said the town was fortunate to have new sidewalks installed in the Walpole and Rockland Street areas due to water and utility work with the sidewalks paid for by the utility companies. Town Planner Laura Smead suggested that with so many sidewalk requests, residents could look into the possibility of a betterment tax where they share the cost over a 10-year period with neighboring residents.

In other news from Monday night’s meeting, Smead reported that the state has denied Canton’s application for a Safe Routes to School grant to help fund improvements to the intersection of Pleasant, Angela and Sherman streets. Smead said she reached out to the state to see how the town can improve its application for the next grant round. Town Administrator Charlie Aspinwall said he will reach out to abutters to see whether trees, bushes and fencing can be improved in order to increase sight distance at the intersection. Porter said improving the safety of this intersection will be the committee’s next top priority once the Randolph-Washington Street intersection is completed.

The next meeting of the Traffic Study Committee is tentatively scheduled for Monday, September 23, at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. The committee meets quarterly and reports to selectmen.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Jun 14 2019. Filed under News, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.