Objections Raised to Four Roundabout Plan for South East Street

Report on the Meeting of the Town Services and Outreach Committee with the Transportation Advisory Committee and the Disability Access Action Committee, December 12, 2023

This meeting was held in a hybrid format and was recorded.

Superintendent of Public Works Guilford Mooring and representatives from CDM Smith Engineering presented their plan for two large roundabouts at the intersections of South East Street with Main Street and College Street and two smaller roundabouts at the two entrances to the planned new elementary school. Mooring said, “When we first started, our recommendation was “don’t build a school here.’ Then we were told we’re building the school here. So, our next recommendation was, let’s move the driveway into the middle and buy one of these houses, we were told we’re not doing that. Working in the East Street Common has been taboo. So, we came up with the best plan we could to restrict the amount of green space we’re taking from the common and also to accommodate the traffic as best we could.”

Town Services and Outreach (TSO) Chair Andy Steinberg (at large) stated that Mooring and the Town Manager suggested that the three committees, TSO, Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC), and the Disability Access Advisory Committee (DAAC) meet together to exchange ideas regarding the proposed plan. Melody Butler of CDM Smith explained that, during school drop-off and pick-up, traffic is often backed up on South East Street past the north driveway to the school, and making a left turn out of the school is difficult. Parents and faculty are to use the north driveway to enter and exit the school, and school buses use the south driveway. A previous detailed traffic study of the area was completed in 2022 concluded that traffic conditions resulting from siting the elementary school at Fort River could be mitigated.

None of the councilors or committee members present expressed enthusiasm for the four-roundabout plan. Myra Ross, Chair of the DAAC said, “I’m completely perplexed and can’t overestimate the level of my concern. In the materials you gave us, there was no mention of pedestrians, cyclists, or people with disabilities who cannot cross roundabouts safely. If the cars do not ever stop, you cannot ever cross a roundabout safely. There have to be some controls of the traffic. I commend you for coming up with some kind of a band-aid for a gaping wound, but this is a huge, huge problem.”

Several people pointed out that the crossing guard is only present briefly before and after school and is not there for children at afterschool programs or who stay late to play on the playing fields. Also, there is likely to be additional foot traffic with the new apartments being constructed at the East Street school and on Belchertown Road. Mooring stated that the initial plans show the vehicle traffic routes, but sidewalks and crosswalks will be added in final plans.

Other solutions to the traffic problems were suggested, but all had their drawbacks. Councilor Jennifer Taub (District 4) and Bob Hegner (District 5) proposed making South East Street one-way going north, and having southbound traffic use Old South East Street. Mooring said that the effect of rerouting the traffic in that manner would mean drivers would have to travel farther to reach the school entrance and that overall traffic would be increased. He did suggest that that the Main Street intersection could be elongated to include the north driveway of the school, making a “peanut-shaped” roundabout.

Facilities Director for the schools Rupert Roy Clark stated that his department spent the most time trying to accommodate the school buses to get them in and out of the school easily. He also noted that there is a PVTA bus route on South East Street, so a bus stop is needed for that as well. He said that pedestrian and bicycle traffic can be moved more easily, but he was unsure if electronic signals or additional crossing guards would be financially feasible or provide enough safety. Changing the design of the school entrances is not possible, since the drainage systems and as the travel lanes are incorporated into the plan.

Seren Derin, DAAC member, said she has been using the intersection at route 9 for 40 years and sees no problem with it and no reason to change it. She suggested a plan drawn up by William Patterson that included buffered bicycle lanes and ADA compliant walkways and curb cuts, but there were still issues regarding the effect of the bicycle paths for people with visual impairment. “We try to increase the bicycle riders,” she said, “and we cannot throw them in danger.”

TAC member Marcus Smith noted that some roundabouts in Europe do have associated traffic lights that pedestrians can push for walk signals. Butler pointed out that the safest place for pedestrians to cross is straight across at one side of the circle. There can also be a splinter island, for those with mobility problems to stop halfway across the street. Bicyclists can go onto the sidewalk or use the roundabout with the cars. However, DAAC member Elise Link noted that bicycles on the sidewalk are a danger to those with vision or mobility issues.

Steinberg pointed out that the group was not trying to solve the problem at this meeting, but to understand the complexity of the situation. Each of the three committees will continue the discussion to hopefully agree on a solution. TSO will meet again on December 19, but Steinberg doubted if that would give the other committees time for their input.