SWAMPSCOTT — The Select Board discussed changes to several roads throughout town, with some being made one-ways to help the flow of traffic on Elm Place, and adding or replacing signage on King’s Beach Terrace.
School Resource Officer Kevin Reen came before the board during its latest meeting on June 4 to elaborate on the changes recommended by the Swampscott Police Department. He started by first talking about Elm Place.
“Elm Place was previously recommended for a one-way, entering from the Westcott side and exiting through the Burpee Road side of Elm Place,” Reen explained. “As we discussed at the previous community engagement meeting, it was presented by the residents of the area. We looked into it, and spoke with all the residents. … We would definitely be in support of that moving forward.”
Reen said one idea the police department would want to look into would be placing street signs by the “exit side” of Elm Place. “There is some shrubbery and brush that need to be manicured, which would allow a better viewpoint of the signs.” He noted some of the parallel parking signs have faded over time and need replacement.
He added that he spoke with Interim Town Administrator and Director of the Department of Public Works (DPW) Gino Cresta about possibly eliminating a parking spot “at the very end of the exit entering onto Essex Street.
“It could definitely pose a problem for traffic pulling out,” Reen added. “With the DPW looking at that, they could make the postings much more obvious.”
Board member David Grishman asked Reen if the shrubbery was on town property or private property, but Reen said he didn’t have that information on-hand.
Vice Chair Doug Thompson asked if any drawback was received to the proposal of making Elm Place one way and the parallel parking spots.
“No, and what it would allow would be just for people and residents to park in the area, it would make the traffic flow more efficiently,” Reen responded.
The Board then voted to approve the proposal.
For Burpee Road, Reen said he was suggesting holding another community meeting to discuss input from residents on the matter.
Board member Danielle Leonard asked if there were any other alternatives to making Burpee Road a one-way, and the possibility of adding speedbumps or something similar.
“Mr. Cresta and I did talk about that, and it’s not my opinion to move that forward. Right now, we’re looking at an average of 24 mph in a 25 mph zone. … The time of day does come into play, depending that we see more traffic in a higher volume earlier in the morning,” Reen said.
He added that he and Cresta have looked into it, and if there were speedbumps added, it would be in the middle point from Bueno Vista Street to Essex Street “which would be roughly about where the speed sign is.”
“You have residents that are asking for these speedbumps. They’re temporary — why don’t we just put them in there?” Board member MaryEllen Fletcher asked.
It was determined that speedbumps will also be added along the middle point as Reen described it, to gauge an impact it has on traffic speed, though the speedbumps are only temporary.
The board also voted to approve a motion to replace signs on King’s Beach Terrace, as Reen explained that the problem many signs face is having become faded or washed-out over time.
