Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the September 18th traffic commission. Can everyone please stand for the pledge of allegiance? To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God,
indivisible, liberty and justice for all. Thank you. All right, let's just go through a quick roll call. Chief Levita. Um, city planner Frank Stringy is
absent. We'll note that down. City engineer Nicholas Rystrom here. And Chief Cullen here. All right. We have a quorum, so we may proceed. Let's start off with our public hearings. There are seven of them
tonight. Um public hearing number one amend schedule five of title 10 oneway streets Kerry A Southerntherly from Kerry A high school parking lot to East Mountain A one way.
Is there any proponent or opponent on this one? I believe this is more of a bookkeeping item. the residents. These signs are actually up right now as well as the do not enter resident only sign on table I'm sorry on the
hearing item number two. There is an issue I witnessed while we were installing sidewalks down there with residents cutting through from East Mountain A through the high school parking lot up to Broadway to avoid traffic. So, I I do believe it seems
like a necessary one-way street in my opinion. Commission, any uh input? Mr. Chairman, I make a motion to approve. Motion to approve. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor? I. All those opposed.
Number one has been approved. All right. Item number two relates again to Kerry Aav. Do not enter residents only. Direction northerly from Kerry A to East Mountain A.
This sign allows the residents themselves to not have to drive through the parking lot itself to get to their homes. Seems reasonable enough. commission any
any opinions there's no proponents or opponents here today so Mr. Chairman, uh, as this is obviously related to, uh, number one, I make a motion to approve. Motion to approve. Is there a second?
Second. All those in favor? I. All those opposed. Approved. Item number two. All right. Item number three, amend schedule 4 of title 10 isolated stop signs by adding the following. Winthre A
and Webster Street stop sign. So, um the stop sign will be located on Winthrop A at Webster. Oh, our council's here to speak on it. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh councelor Joan McKenna, ward one councelor. Um so,
we have a uh direct path uh about two and a half blocks without no stop signs and they're speeding up the street. I'm just trying to slow down the traffic. It's not in front of anybody's house. It's in front of a public stairs. Um the
Winthrop a Cresston uh Brad Street a public stairs and there's a church across the street uh that someone lives upstairs on the side. So, it's not going to bother anybody. Um you know, if it does bother it people, which I don't think it will, it would just stop the
traffic because we haven't had any um t uh speed tables yet on that street. So, um, but if we, you know, if it does bother it bother people, I would just say that we do it for like 90 days and just try it and and see if it works. And if it doesn't work, we'll take it out.
But I just think it's going to work because I think it's a necessary place to put a stop sign, especially where the public stairs is. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? No. Seeing hearing none, Mr. Chairman.
Yes. Yes. Just to clarify, this is on Winththerb heading eastbound. Correct. Heading eastbound at Webster. Correct. Yeah. Uh, Mr. Chairman, make a motion to approve. Thank you. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor?
I. All those opposed. Item number three has been approved. Next item number four, amend schedule 11 of title 10 handicapped persons by I'm sorry, handicap persons parking by adding 40 Warren Street.
Is there anyone here to speak on behalf of this one today? Proponents opponents is 41 street in this magnet. It seems to be an 81y old. I actually have not read this packet. I don't know if you guys would like to either approve
or table it until they would appear. Let's see. Mr. Chairman. Yes. I don't they do not have a driveway through this packet. Um it appears that this person is in need of handicap uh
parking. They do not have a driveway um at that location and for that reason I make a motion to approve. Thank you. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor. All those opposed. Item number four, 40 Warren Street
handicap person's parking has been approved. Item number five, request to amend schedule 8 of title 10 parking restrictions generally by adding Beach Street, Northwest Corner. It's from 650 Beach Street. I just want to make that
correction to Northshore Road. No parking here to corner 30 ft is going to be the change. That's would match the the hashed out. No stopping on the other side. Right. It's actually up to the first tree that that they planted in front of
650. So, it works out even with that back hash mark on the stop sign. And I've watched it before uh recently and seems to work out okay because people have been parking by the tree. So, okay. I think that extra 10 feet will make a difference. Okay. Yeah, I have no issue with that.
They actually we tried to stripe this prematurely and there was a vehicle parked there. We got to put a cone the other the night before. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Yep. No problem. Thank you, counselor.
So, I see no issue with this. I I there was no parking spot there before. It was a curb cut to Petro Beef. So, if it does help with the swing, I have no issue. But, commission, any motion to approve? Motion to approve.
Is there a second? Second. Second. All those in favor? I. All those opposed. Item number five approved. All right. All right. Item number six, amend schedule request to amend schedule 8 of title 10 parking restrictions
generally by removing the 24-hour residential parking um permit restrictions to the Riverside area which includes Archer, Lawson, Wadley, Beckett, Blanchard River, Gilbert, Frank, Tobin, John, Dair, and Hayes Avenues.
Councelor Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um the motion that we have put in spokes for speaks for itself and I really appreciate um all the work everyone on this commission has done to help this come to fruition and
um I think it would be the best thing for this neighborhood as this neighborhood is having such a difficult time with not being able to park. They're so used to having the two-sided parking. But I think this is a good compromise that we've come to for now.
Um, and thank you, um, Lori for adding the other streets that were missed. Thank you. Of course. Um, I'd also like to add we should probably vote these two, um, six and seven together since they are it's just removal of 24hour and enacting
the overnight residential parking from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. Instead of it being an MBTA community, will now be a regular residential area with res reg normalize residential parking overnight.
I myself am in favor of this motion, so I would recommend a uh motion to approve. Mr. Chair, so moved. Awesome. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor? I. All those opposed.
Six and seven have been approved. All right, that concludes our public hearings. Next, we have a couple agenda items. Council McKenna would like to amend schedule 11 of 10, title 10, handicap her. Oh, I'm sorry. That was actually
tabled, I believe. Yep. Go right ahead. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, um, I went I knocked on this woman's door. She's like in her 80s. I just I took pictures of her and her whole property. Um she was denied I don't know how many years
ago. Um she asked for a handicap um pole and she was denied because she has a driveway. But she's on a walker. Lori saw the pictures and um the where where her driveway is. It's an incline. It's on Lantern A. It's in incline and it's
probably I'd say a tenth of a mile honest to God to go from her driveway to the front door. and she has to do this and this and she can't even walk. So, I'm going to put I have to give her the paperwork and I just want you guys and I'm going to bring you the pictures of
her whole property and herself in the walker. I just wanted I want you I know that in the past um the commissioner um the disabilities commissioner um declined to um uh put um handicap poles
in because if they had a driveway but in some circumstances uh it's needed. It really is. I had a lady across the street from me who had cancer and couldn't even walk and she got denied because she had a um a driveway and it was it was terrible and she's passed. So, I think in some
circumstances we have to just oversee this the driveways because some people can't use their driveways anymore because they're too old. So, okay. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. No problem. Okay. So, we can table this item just till we get the um handicap
packet. Okay. Item number two, amend schedule 11 of title 10 handicap persons parking by adding to Baitman Road. So, this one I was able to go through. I would recommend sending this to public
hearing, but I would like to hear from the resident as well pertaining to the necess need for this. There is a sign on the side of the house that says do not block driveway. I don't know if that's a if they're using their driveway for something else or what it may be, but I
would at least move this to public hearing, but I would like them to show up in front of us and plead their case. Commissioners, any input? Motion to move to a public hearing. Thank you. Is there a second?
Second. Awesome. All those in favor? All those opposed. At least that gives them the ability to state what they need to state. Okay. So, item number three, request to amend
schedule 8 of title 10 parking restrictions generally by removing Lincoln Street Northern from Washington A to Burbank Street, no parking any time. Alongside with that is item number four, requests to amend schedule 8 of
title 10 parking restrictions generally by adding linking street direction northerly from Amassa to Vivian Street. No parking anytime. This is a um one of those situations where we're trying to clean up the
books. This is actually posted no parking the entire length of the street, which is not the case on Lincoln. I would like to um update the um schedule and narrow the section where
it's where parking is no longer allowed from Amassa to Vivian Street. Mr. Chairman, yes. Uh just a question. This mentions a section of Lincoln from Washington to Burbank.
Yeah, I believe this was predates Route One. to be honest. I don't know why else would do that. Okay. Okay. So, this really is a Massa to Burbank. Yeah, that's why I want to update. I'm sorry. No, Amassa to Vivven Street. Burbank, there is room for parking
further down on Lincoln Street, but that section from Amassa to Vivven Street. There is not. So, we would be taking these together? Yes. Okay. Um, make a motion to send to a public hearing. Thank you. Uh, is there a second? Second. All those in favor?
I. All those opposed. Item number three and four move to public hearing. All right. Item number five. Mayor Keef request the following. That Chief Levita enforce the provisions of
MGL chapter 91 section 1E. Further that the chief of police in conjunction with the superintendent of public works develop and educate campaigns for students relative to the laws and proper use of motorized scooters. I think that speaks for itself. So we
can reach out to the school I'm sorry the the superintendent of schools and see if we can Yeah, sure. Um before school started I we had that conversation with the superintendent and um assistant superintendent. So all the SRO's been have been updated on the law. Um I
issued a directive and a bulletin within the department so everybody kind of knew um you know the intricacies of the law. It gets a little um difficult to parse through. So we kind of gave out almost like a you know an outline and with
enforcement options and everything. So perfect. All right. Sounds good. The next item we have is item number six. Mayor Keef requests the following. That the traffic commission in coordination with Masdot evaluate and implicate safety measures
at the corner of Northshore Road and Vera Street at Oak in Oak Island. The property at 795 Northshore Road has been struck by vehicles at least four or five times due to the high rate of speed in this area. Most recently, a car hit a pole and crashed through the property's
fence. the installation of barriers or a guard rail should be considered to protect residents and prevent further incidents. The owner of the property has been requesting that something been done for over 12 years. All right. So, I have no problem
reaching out to Masto myself. I believe the counselor uh stated she would write me forward an email she had from the resident that I can pass along the mascot and see if we can get some type of safety
provisions installed there. Mr. Chairman, this is southbound, correct? Southbound. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Yes. All right. Number seven, amend schedule one of title 10 by making the following changes.
These are some just parking penalties subgroups and group. I believe they're just shifting around groups from A to B, C to B to C, that type of thing. Would anyone like to speak on this matter?
I did go through them. They seem pretty reasonable. Y I think it should just I'm in favor of moving this along to a public hearing. Yeah. And I'm just a proponent for Louis Flores from this 300 Broadway. Um it correlates with the 2025 fiscal year budget and we're basically just updating
the fines to basically fit with every other surrounding city as well and encourage compliance. Awesome. Thank you. Understood. I would recommend or approval of the moving this to a public
hearing. Anyone in favor? Do we have a motion? Motion to move to public hearing. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor? All those opposed. Item number seven will be moved to a public hearing.
And last but not least, I believe we have a communication from the traffic working group. Julie, yes. Traffic working group. Traffic common group. Yes. Traffic working group. Um Julie Dearo, Department of
Transportation. Actually, Department of Community Development Transportation Coordinator. So, traffic working group. Um, so I just wanted to kind of before we get going on the items that we're going to talk about tonight, I want to mention the um
the changes to our scoring rubric that we are going to be implementing. So one of the key things is is that all petitions have to have something coming in from the neighborhood. So there needs to be the 10 signature signed petition
by a group of residents within the um within the um the neighborhood for this particular petition. Another thing that we would ask is that a specific location, so specific block, north, south, west or east where speeding is
occurring. Um, we're getting requests. I got a request for just recently. Um, and it just said the whole street and we can't effectively pinpoint where speeding is occurring without some sort of like areas. So, a couple of blocks.
Um, it can be one block, it can be two blocks, but when they send that petition in, it really needs to have the address of where you want the data collected. Um in addition to that we are going to be looking at 85 percentile of speed and
how um how many cars are going over that. However, what we're finding is is we have some streets, not every street, but this is how we're going to build some flexibility into the policy. Um, we do have some streets that have some
speeding, but the speeding is not the 85 percentile isn't over 25 miles hour. However, there are 50 or more cars that are over 25 miles hour or uh 30 mph. So
depending and if they're under if they get at least 800 cars per day, we're going to look at that a little bit more closely and then that'll be a judgment decision between the traffic working group um for traffic calming measures. So I wanted to just kind of raise that u
point up because I know there are some streets that are on the cusp um of speeding and not speeding. So we've built that in. Uh there will be some people that are happy with that. There will be some people who are not happy with that decision. But um but let's
talk a little bit about the four recent data collections that we did discuss. Um one of them is Haden Street. This is the second data collection series for this area. Um what we realized is that the first time data was collected there was
actually more cars on the street and that's because the street was being used as a detour during the construction last year. Um but for both data collections there was no speeding at all. So we are not recommending Haden Street as anything that should be put out to the
on call or any other type of traffic measures being installed on the street. However, um with the help of um Chief Levita and Lieutenant Mali, we're going to have some targeted enforcement on the
street during our high traffic volume times, which is early morning commute time, so 6:00 to 9 and then from 1 to 2:00 p.m. Um what we have noticed is that there's a considerable jump in traffic um for this particular data
collection from when the last week of summer where there was no school and then school started again that we had an increase of about about 200 cars just for that street alone. So people are using that to cut through to avert traffic other places. So, Haden Street
will not be um moving forward, but we are going to take um Riviera public Riviera police department um and have them work with traffic enforcement in the area. So, Centennial A is a street
that we are recommending for traffic calming measures. Um so this is one of them where we're building some flexibility into choosing the streets um in terms of trafficcoming measures. So although the 85 percentile for
Centennial LA was not met for exceeding the speed limit, what we did realize is that that is a high volume road. Um and the total number of cars that are going over the 25 mile speed limit is 257
cars. So, we're looking at this as a place as a possible race um crosswalk and we are going to look at the drainage um because that would be looking at uh that would be sent to our on call and the on call would be kind of realized where's the best place for for that
raised crosswalk to go because there isn't one there now. So, we'll be looking at that. So, that will move forward. Uh Campbell A, this is a tricky one. Um so C 81 Campbell Lab, this is actually a second
uh data collection point for that area. Um there's already a speed hill on um Campbell A. So they collected speed a little bit further north uh from where the speed hump is now. And what we did
find is that the 85 percentile of speed is over the 25 miles per hour. Um and we have about 247 cars that are over the 25 mph. So high car volume speeding. Um
this is also going to the on call because we already have a speed hump there already and we are not quite sure where to place it. Um, federal highway guidelines say that they should be
placed 300 to 600 feet in distance of each other. We know that the city of Boston, we talked about this the other day, they are placing the speed humps every 100 ft within reason of each other. Um what I do want to caution
about um Campbell Lab is that when the speed hill first went in, there was a lot of complaints from some of the other neighbors that it should have been placed up further. So the solution for this for right now is we're going to use the speed pillows that GPW has and we're
going to try it out in a couple locations, see where it best um speed can be captured or slowed down. So we'll need to use the speed boards again. But I think what we'll do is we'll also send this to our on call with that data
and they'll be able to help us better determine the exact placement from 300 to 600 ft from the original speedill that's there now. And then lastly, Endicott of this is a petition um that
will move forward due to um well the original request for was for Endicott at um Leverit A and we noticed that um it 85 percentile speed is above the speed
limit. A lot of car volume um on that day on that roadway. We have about 225 cars just above the 25 mile per hour. Um, but because of the geometry of that street and where Lever also connects
with that street, this is going to the on call. Um, and they're going to look at it holistically, looking at the street, understanding what can be tolerated there. Um, so whether that means bumpouts, whether that means extending the island. Um but this is
probably going to be a little larger project. Um and we'll be looking at it at how it will over affect the street over time. Not just um surface but also underground utilities. Um so those are the projects that will
move forward and not move forward from this round. But then we will be next time we appear before you we'll be discussing Mills A and Rice A and then also Walnut Place. And then the next two
areas will where we will be collecting data will be um Lantern A, Lantern Street and also um East Mountain A. And I know that this is East Mountain A has been a little touchy with everyone. Um,
so East Mountain Nav was data was collected last year. However, none of the new infrastructure improvements that your team DPW has put in were in place. And I think that that needs to be looked at again because normally when you change the roadway,
you put in a sidewalk, you narrow the roadway, that lowers speeds. So, let's take a look at that data. There was a traffic petition put in by the neighbors, so we want to honor that. Um, but that's that's all I have for now. Any questions?
No. No. Thank you. Thank you for the communication. Thank you. All right, that brings us to the end of our agenda. Everyone, is there a motion to adjurnn? So moved, Mr. Chairman.
Awesome. Thank you. Meeting adjourned.