SWAMPSCOTT — To accommodate more outdoor dining over the summer, the double yellow line that runs along the center of Humphrey Street between Redington Street and Fuller Terrace was shifted a few feet.
Now, that well-intentioned decision is causing issues on the road.
After new lines were painted, the original lines were covered in blackout paint, which keeps them from showing up and confusing drivers. However, over months, that paint has rubbed off, making the lines visible once again and reflecting light at night.
Gino Cresta, director of the town’s Department of Public Works, said that to fix the lines, the town would need to mill down the road between one-eighth and one-quarter of an inch to remove the paint. However, it is unclear whether that will happen soon, because the town hasn’t yet decided if the lane shift will become permanent.
“The only reason I’m waiting to do it permanently is that I’m not sure what the Select Board wants to do next year for outdoor dining,” Cresta said.
Cresta said that so far, the lane shift hasn’t been a safety issue, and has not gotten in the way of snow plowing. However, it did require the loss of bike lanes on both sides of the road, causing the lane to disappear and come back later down the street, and Cresta said he isn’t sure if this change will be permanent, either.
Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald said that the lines were a traffic concern, but that the town was looking into the best solution to accommodate both drivers and the small businesses along that stretch of the road.
“We understand the concern about traffic, and we have to balance that with pedestrian safety and ensuring the businesses on Humphrey Street can continue to survive,” Fitzgerald said. “We do appreciate that folks are being patient, and we know people have to endure the challenges, but we’ll look into this and see what we can do to try to address traffic in our very thickly settled region.”
