A wide array of agenda items were addressed at the Somerville Traffic Commission’s most recent meeting. — Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Ana Celerie

On August 10, 2023, the Somerville Traffic Commission held a meeting to discuss requests for accessible parking, requests for establishments of fire lanes, and finally, requests for curb use changes and a few other changes to make school arrival and dismissal safer and more effective for the Healey and Edgerly schools. First on the agenda were two requests for accessible parking spaces, one at 303 Washington St. and another at 23 Melvin St. Adrienne Pomeroy, a coordinator with the city of Somerville, was in attendance to speak on the matter.

Pomeroy stated that she reviewed both applications for the spaces and recommended their approval. She mentioned, however, that she did have one note for future conversation: If a space is granted and for some reason not being used or somebody moves or, unfortunately, passes away. Then the city reserves the right to turn that space back into a residential parking non – accessible parking spot, and in the case of 303 Washington St. A family occupies at least one or more buildings along that stretch of Washington St., and somebody did pass away, and then another family member whose name it was not in began to use it.

Pomeroy clarified that this request presented before the commission is the current application to bring that information current but that this situation does bring up a sort of a bigger thought process for herself around policy, which she stated is something that can certainly be explored at another time. Ultimately the commission voted on both applications, and they were approved.

Next was a request to establish a fire lane on Nashua St. from the corner of Richardson St. down the odd side in a southerly direction for a distance of 20 feet. As well as a request to establish a fire lane on Sycamore St. from the corner of Pembroke St. down the even side in front of #74 Sycamore St. in a northerly direction for a distance of 20 feet. The fire chief made these requests due to difficulty making turning movements. The commission voted to approve both requests.

Finally, there were two requests for curb use changes for the Healey School and Edgerly Education Center. Greg Hanafin, transportation planner for the city of Somerville, was in attendance to present on the matter. For the Healey School, he noted that the proposed permanent changes before the commission were already temporary changes that had been in effect for almost two years. Hanafin said that while the Healey School playground and parking lot were under construction, there were some temporary changes to the arrival and dismissal plan at the school and that following the completion of the construction, he met with the school administration, and they expressed that they felt that the temporary changes were working well and created a safer condition for the students and they requested for them to remain permanent.

Hanafin shared a presentation with those in attendance regarding each of the proposed changes. Regarding Meacham St. between Edgar Ave. and Century St./Ash Ave., there is a request to restrict traffic to one-way westbound only between 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, September through June.

Hanafin noted that what is normally a two-way St. was temporarily restricted to one-way, allowing vehicles to travel westbound, and this reduced the potential conflict of vehicles coming eastbound and getting in the way of students getting picked up and being dropped off in the morning.

Regarding the curb on the North side of Meacham St. between Edgar Ave. and Ash Ave., there is a request to convert resident permit parking to active arrival and dismissal only between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, September through June, and resident permit parking at all other times. In addition, regarding the curb on the South side of Meacham St. between Edgar Ave. and Century St., there is a request to convert resident permit parking to active arrival and dismissal only between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, September through June, and resident permit parking at all other times.

Hanafin continued his presentation by requesting to prohibit the right turn from Edgar Ave. to Meacham St. between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, September through June, except for school staff.

Finally, Hanafin presented a new proposed change that had yet to be previously temporarily in effect like the others. Hanafin commented that the school administration requested that the curb on the north side of Meacham between Meacham St. between Edgar Ave. and the Healey School parking lot be converted into approximately 65 feet of no parking 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and to school bus parking only 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and resident permit parking at all other times.

He commented that the school administration expressed a desire to have this for school bus parking because they’ve been finding that during arrival and dismissal, vehicles are parking in this space even though it’s signed as no parking. The school believes that having it designated as for school bus parking will reduce the illegal parking here and also create a space for their buses. He also expressed a request that the advertising period be waived for these items so that the changes can be implemented before school begins at the end of August. The Traffic Commission approved all Requests.

Hanafin also presented on the proposed curb changes to the Edgerly Education Center, which is in response to the movement of students from the Winter Hill School to Edgerly Education Center for the upcoming school year. Edgerly Education Center previously did not have students as it was a school administration and city staff building. Hanafin stated that regarding the curb on the Northside of Otis St. from approximately 33 feet West of Cross St. to approximately 138 feet West of Cross St., there is a request to convert 105 feet of resident permit parking to active arrival and dismissal only between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, September through June, and resident permit parking at all other times. In addition, regarding the curb on the West side of Cross St. from approximately 32 feet north of Otis St. to approximately 108 feet north of Otis St., there is a request to convert 76 feet of MBTA bus stop to active arrival and dismissal only between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, September through June, and two-hour parking except by permit at all other times. As well as regarding the curb on the West side of Cross St. from approximately 108 feet north of Otis St. to approximately 168 feet north of Otis St.

Request to convert 60 feet of unregulated parking to MBTA bus stop. Hanafin commented that the city has been in communication with the MBTA and gotten the ok to relocate the bus stop to the cross at the Bonair side of this block, and it creates an arrival and dismissal curb space closer to the main entrance of the Edgerly school.

Furthermore, Hanafin presented a request regarding the curb on the east side of Cross St. from approximately 26 feet South of Brook St. to approximately 75 feet South of Brook St. be converted to 49 feet of two-hour parking except by permit to active arrival and dismissal only between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, September through June and two-hour parking except by permit at all other times.

Regarding the curb on the South side of Bonair St. from approximately 38 feet West of Cross St. to approximately 58 feet West of Cross St., there is a request to install 20 feet of accessible parking and regarding the curb on the Northside of Bonair St., from approximately 45 feet West of Cross St. to approximately 65 feet West of Cross St. there is another request to convert 20 feet of resident per parking to accessible parking. He noted that there is an existing accessible parking space here, and the request is to shift that slightly to be closer to the entrance.

Next, regarding the curb on the South side of Bonner St. from approximately 58 feet West of Cross St. to approximately 178 feet West of Cross St., there is a request to convert 120 feet of accessible parking and resident parking to school bus-only parking between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, September through June and resident permit parking at all other times. He also presented a request to prohibit the right turn from McGrath Highway to Bonair St. between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. through 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except for school staff. He noted there is currently a right turn restriction, and they are simply requesting an extension to reduce congestion in this area while students are getting picked up. The traffic commission voted to approve all these curb use changes, and the meeting was adjourned shortly after.