Transportation Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC)

Meeting Minutes TSAC February 16, 2022 DATE: September 16, 2023 SUBJECT: Transportation Safety Advisory Committee Minutes from February 16, 2022 This meeting was held via the Zoom online platform. Meeting called to order by Michael Diluiso at 8:12 AM Members Present: • Michael Diluiso, Parking Department • Director Steven Calla, Department of Public Works • Deputy Chief John Goodwin, Police Department • Chief W. Scott Wiley, Fire Department • Ben Schad, Resident Representative • Lisa Plotnick, Resident Representative Members Absent: • John Eade, Resident Representative New Business: Agenda Item: Correspondence Mr. Diluiso received one piece of correspondence from a resident of Point Shirley asking if anything can be done regarding the posted no parking areas at Delby’s Corner. Vehicles, especially those driven by delivery drivers park in the no parking areas and make it difficult for motorists to drive through the area. They recommended looking at installing flex posts to prevent the practice. Agenda Item: Request for crosswalks and walk indicator lights along Veterans Rd Mr. Diluiso stated this came to the committee via the Town Manager’s office. The proponent is asking for crosswalks and walk indicator lights due to the location of the preschool and perceived high speeds in the area. They are concerned about the safety of children under 5 years of age moving between the preschool and Daw Playground. Mr. Diluiso stated there are crosswalks crossing Veterans Rd in the area in question at Washington Ave, Cutler St, and Hadassa Way. Mr. Diluiso opened the floor to public comment on this matter. Nobody from the public wished to be heard so discussion was turned back over to the committee. Page 1 of 3 Deputy Chief Goodwin asked if the traffic monitoring device had been deployed in the area recently. Mr. Diluiso stated he was unsure of the last time it was used on Veterans Rd. Mr. Diluiso stated he assumed that this request was the result of one of the day care centers moving in across the street from the park. He mentioned the possibility of installing solar powered crossing signs but didn’t want to commit to that without hearing from Director Calla. Deputy Chief Goodwin stated that we don’t need to put the traffic monitor in place to know cars speed on Veterans Rd. MOTION: By Deputy Chief Goodwin to postpone this issue to the committee’s next meeting and deploy the traffic monitoring equipment on Veterans Rd and Cutler St to gather data SECONDED: Mr. Schad DISCUSSION OF THE MOTION: None VOTE IN FAVOR OF MOTION: Unanimous Director Calla joined the meeting after this vote at 8:21 AM. Old Business: Agenda Item: Proposed change to stop sign ordinance Mr. Diluiso stated that he sent draft ordinance language to the committee prior to the meeting. When he was doing research on this matter, he found Revere had a similar situation to ours where stop signs are listed in the ordinance. Chelsea lists the through streets in their ordinance and leaves any street intersecting with those needing a stop sign. He added that researching Massachusetts general laws and CMRs, the driver’s manual, and discussing the matter with Deputy Chief Goodwin, he was unable to find the language that a vehicle needs to stop when coming to an intersection. Mr. Diluiso asked if the committee would rather handle this issue now or add the streets discussed at the previous meeting to the existing table and let the newly created Ordinance and Charter Review Committee take a look at this issue. Director Calla stated that he feels that our current ordinance is detrimental to public safety and cited an example in the past week where a resident was involved in a car accident on Main St when a car came out of Read St and there was no stop sign in place even though there should be. He feels that the draft language will allow these public safety concerns to be addressed. Deputy Chief Goodwin stated that the operator of the vehicle on Read St in the accident was not from the area and didn’t even slow down approaching the intersection. Mr. Diluiso read the proposed language for the benefit of the public in attendance and it is as follows which would place it in between the existing sections of the stop sign ordinance: 10.20.015 – Erection and maintenance of stop signs and signals in accordance with accepted practices The Public Works Director or his or her designee may erect and maintain stop signs where any minor street intersects with one or more through streets where he or she believes that traffic coming to a complete stop on the minor street before entering the through street is in the best interest of public safety. Such signage shall be installed in accordance with the standards in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, 2009 edition and its revisions as published by the U.S. Department of Transportation or any subsequent revision of the Page 2 of 3 manual. Provisions of this section notwithstanding, non-conforming stop signs may still be installed where needed if included in the table in section 10.20.020 of this ordinance by a vote of the Winthrop Town Council. Mr. Diluiso opened the floor to public comment on this matter. Karin Chavis asked if the stop sign on Read St at Lincoln St had been reinstalled. Director Calla stated that this change would allow that to happen. MOTION: By Deputy Chief Goodwin to recommend that the council adopt the ordinance amendment as distributed SECONDED: Director Calla DISCUSSION OF THE MOTION: None VOTE IN FAVOR OF MOTION: Unanimous Agenda Item: General committee discussion of parking, traffic. transportation, and committee issues for possible inclusion on future agendas or other action as the committee sees fit Mr. Diluiso told Director Calla that he received the correspondence mentioned at the start of the meeting about Delby’s Corner and asked about the feasibility of installing flex posts. Mr. Diluiso asked if the committee was opposed to having this included on a future agenda. Nobody was opposed. Mr. Diluiso reminded those in attendance that there are three public hearings on next month’s agenda. He asked the committee and the public if they had anything to discuss and nobody indicated they did. MOTION TO ADJOURN: Director Calla SECONDED: Mr. Schad VOTE IN FAVOR: Unanimous Meeting adjourned at 8:40 AM Date Minutes Approved: September 20, 2023 Page 3 of 3