SWAMPSCOTT — A year after town residents offered ideas during a traffic and development forum, eight have applied to be Swampscott Traffic Study Advisory Committee (TSAC) members.
Committee Chair Allie Fiske and Public Works administrative assistant Natalie Swanstrom declined to release the applicants’ names until the application reviews and selection process are completed.
Three residents selected for committee membership will join Swampscott Disability Commission, police, fire, Public Works and Community and Economic Development representatives on the committee.
The committee’s goals, according to a statement provided by Swanstrom, include “making Swampscott a safe and traffic-friendly community in which to live, work, and visit.
“The TSAC is committed to ensuring the safety of all motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians within the Town of Swampscott by providing, reviewing, and making recommendations on any resident, business or staff request to evaluate any motorist/bicyclist/pedestrian safety issue or other traffic or parking issues within the town.”
Residents raised concerns about traffic and population density in Swampscott neighborhoods during a January, 2019 discussion. The forum focused on the state’s Smart Growth Overlay District Act, a planning tool that facilitates dense residential development and mixed-use project construction near transit stations and town centers.
The committee’s role in guiding discussions about Smarth Growth and other proposals includes its authority to make recommendations to the Select Board, town administrator, Police Department, School Department and state transportation officials.
Residents serving on the committee will help fulfill its mission to conduct
an ongoing review of motorists, bicyclists and pedestrian safety throughout the town and, according to Swanstrom’s statement, “make any recommendations it deems appropriate to ensure appropriately safe conditions.”
