Marblehead keeping a keen eye on town traffic problems

MARBLEHEAD-Selectmen are keeping a vigilant eye on traffic problems in town.Board members ordered Town Administrator Tony Sasso to send a letter to the MBTA asking bus drivers to slow down and obey the speed limits on Humphrey Street in the area of West, Pilgrim and Endicott roads, and to take a look at the existing traffic signs there.The board also asked Police Chief Robert Picariello to monitor the speed in that area with the town?s speed sign.The actions were in response to a letter from Michael Callahan, stating his concerns about traffic safety on Humphrey Street.Several months ago the board discussed making the intersection of Devereux and Smith streets a four-way stop. The board asked police to conduct traffic counts at the intersection for one week in August and one week in September.The report came back from Picariello and Town Engineer Doug Saal Wednesday with a recommendation to maintain the stop sign on Devereux Street and leave the rest of the intersection as is.The chief and the engineer said the traffic counts do not justify a four-way stop.Board members referred the latter to the Traffic and Safety Advisory Committee for their information.With the deadline approaching this weekend, selectmen reminded the public: “Do not go to bed on Sunday, Nov. 30 and leave your vehicle on the street.”At 12:01 a.m. Monday it will be unlawful for any vehicle to park on any street in town for a period of time longer than one hour between the hours of 12:01 and 7 a.m. on any day until Wednesday, April 15, 2009.This ban may be implemented on an earlier day in the event of a weather emergency.