Sixty miles west of Boston, Massachusetts there is the small New England town of Sturbridge. Located at the junction of I-90 (The Mass Pike), and I-84 it has become known as the "Crossroads of New England". The town was first settled over 300 years ago, and like other small New England towns it has grown just enough over the years to be in a difficult place today. How do we embrace the future without forgetting how we got to our present? How do we attract the right kind of growth, and maintain who we are? And, what about our culture out here in Central Massachusetts?
These pages will cause one to think about how to protect what we have, our future direction, and how to move on in the very best way.
Those thoughts, and other ramblings, will hopefully inspire more thought, conversation, action, and occasionally a smile...
Ugh! i just watched the BOS meeting, and after a long discussion about getting money for bricks, heard one member say that he didn't know if the other members had read the memo on the Haynes St. (Route 15) and 131 intersection yet. The other selectmen didn't utter a sound. It seems that there has been one suggestion to remedy the problem. Paint the stop line differently, to make a larger turn radius. Paint! Paint? Yup, put some lipstick on it! Other than that the thought seemed to be that perhaps other boards and/or committees had foreseen the problem coming and thought that what is at that location now was the best solution. They will look into the matter. Am I dreaming? Please tell me I'm dreaming.
I watched the meeting, too. I'm not sure where What? gets his or her info, but here are some facts: the width of Route 15 was reduced by sidewalks when planned six or seven years ago, which now is effecting the turning radius.
A resident has made a great suggestion of moving the stop lines back on Routes 131 and 15, which has been done in other communities and is proven to be simple solution that works, allowing trucks a wider turning radius. Given that the intersection is hundreds of years old and has old buildings all around it, I think this is a pretty good solution when one considers the alternative, which is taking private land (someone's front yard) or home by eminent domain; or redigging up the drainage chamber and eliminating sidewalks. I commend that resident for coming up with viable solution for consideration.
The town administrator sent a letter to MA DOT Administator on Monday to try to get more information about what decisions were made 6-7 years ago, and why those decisions were made, so there's a good bet answers are forthcoming.
Chairman Creamer has done a good job pursuing this issue and he has done so in a timely manner (selectmen are not paid positions; they are volunteer positions and they only meet 3 times a month.)
It's unfortunate you didn't get the answer you want but it's the best answer available right now. In life, we have to wait for things sometimes. Also stated at the meeting, was that there were lots of different aspects that went into planning that intersection on the part of DPW and the Selectmen back then. Why you're busting the current Selectmen is a burning question for me; they are doing the best job they can.
As Chairman Creamer stated during the meeting, it is much better at this time not to second guess decisions made 6/7 years ago and to wait until all information is obtained. The situation is being addressed, it is not being ignored. Hopefully, there will be more information soon.
What happened 6 or 7 years ago doesn't change the fact that we have a problem now that needs to be dealt with now. Warning signs would be a good start now, BEFORE something happens at that intersection. Removal of high side walks and/or high curbs would be even better. I don't think it's "busting" anyone unfairly to ask why we can't do something NOW. Signs? If paint will help some, that's fine, but it's going to take more than that to get it right. I truly hope that the next time I see that intersection there will be warning signs, and I don't care if they are made of cardboard.
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'Sittin' on the edge of my seat!
ReplyDeleteUgh! i just watched the BOS meeting, and after a long discussion about getting money for bricks, heard one member say that he didn't know if the other members had read the memo on the Haynes St. (Route 15) and 131 intersection yet. The other selectmen didn't utter a sound. It seems that there has been one suggestion to remedy the problem. Paint the stop line differently, to make a larger turn radius. Paint! Paint? Yup, put some lipstick on it! Other than that the thought seemed to be that perhaps other boards and/or committees had foreseen the problem coming and thought that what is at that location now was the best solution. They will look into the matter. Am I dreaming? Please tell me I'm dreaming.
ReplyDeleteI watched the meeting, too. I'm not sure where What? gets his or her info, but here are some facts: the width of Route 15 was reduced by sidewalks when planned six or seven years ago, which now is effecting the turning radius.
ReplyDeleteA resident has made a great suggestion of moving the stop lines back on Routes 131 and 15, which has been done in other communities and is proven to be simple solution that works, allowing trucks a wider turning radius. Given that the intersection is hundreds of years old and has old buildings all around it, I think this is a pretty good solution when one considers the alternative, which is taking private land (someone's front yard) or home by eminent domain; or redigging up the drainage chamber and eliminating sidewalks. I commend that resident for coming up with viable solution for consideration.
The town administrator sent a letter to MA DOT Administator on Monday to try to get more information about what decisions were made 6-7 years ago, and why those decisions were made, so there's a good bet answers are forthcoming.
Chairman Creamer has done a good job pursuing this issue and he has done so in a timely manner (selectmen are not paid positions; they are volunteer positions and they only meet 3 times a month.)
It's unfortunate you didn't get the answer you want but it's the best answer available right now. In life, we have to wait for things sometimes. Also stated at the meeting, was that there were lots of different aspects that went into planning that intersection on the part of DPW and the Selectmen back then. Why you're busting the current Selectmen is a burning question for me; they are doing the best job they can.
As Chairman Creamer stated during the meeting, it is much better at this time not to second guess decisions made 6/7 years ago and to wait until all information is obtained. The situation is being addressed, it is not being ignored. Hopefully, there will be more information soon.
What happened 6 or 7 years ago doesn't change the fact that we have a problem now that needs to be dealt with now. Warning signs would be a good start now, BEFORE something happens at that intersection. Removal of high side walks and/or high curbs would be even better. I don't think it's "busting" anyone unfairly to ask why we can't do something NOW. Signs? If paint will help some, that's fine, but it's going to take more than that to get it right. I truly hope that the next time I see that intersection there will be warning signs, and I don't care if they are made of cardboard.
ReplyDelete