SAUGUS — The Board of Selectmen recently approved a one-way time change for Pearce Memorial Drive and Highland Avenue.
The current posted times are 1:30-5 p.m.
Saugus Middle High School Principal Carla Scuzzarella was the petitioner for the time change, speaking at two separate meetings, one for Pearce Memorial and one for Highland.
“A couple of concerns. The traffic is brutal at various times of the day. We’re working really hard to take care of that, but the fact that the two streets that come to the building, Pearce Memorial and Highland, both are one-way in the afternoon from 1:30 until 5 p.m… It’s the 5 o’clock that’s a concern for me,” she said.
Scuzzarella noticed that the streets around Belmonte Middle School are only locked as a one-way until 3 p.m.
“I am respectfully asking for the board to consider making Pearce Memorial and Highland one-way from 1:30 until 3 o’clock. And the reason is the building gets out at 2:15 p.m. The vast amount of traffic that comes with that is gone by quarter of three. And I’m finding that students who then stay after school, on the high school side of the building, and that do drive, I wouldn’t want to admit this too many times, but some of them do ignore the one-way sign because they live in that area,” she said
She continued that some students live near the Belmonte area, and when using the one-way, the students are forced to go out Pearce Memorial and end up in all the traffic.
“I’m either forcing my students to get out onto Route 1, worst drivers in town should not be pulling out onto Route 1 in traffic, go onto Main Street and add to the traffic, and the other piece that’s a concern for me is anything that we have happening at the building between 3 and 5 p.m. involving visiting schools of any type… have to literally drive by the school and then come down those side streets with the buses to get to the building,” Scuzzarella said.
She understood why the times were originally 1:30-5 p.m. when the school was first built, but she thinks it’s time to take a look at changing it.
“I also do understand the neighborhood’s concerns, but before five years ago, people drove down there all the time because Pearce was a two-way,” she said.
Board of Selectman Chair Debra Panetta said the posting for the meeting only spoke about Pearce Memorial Drive, which is why Scuzzarella had to return for a second meeting. Panetta said she wanted to be “sensitive towards the Highland Ave folks” in case they would want to speak on the matter.
Board member Anthony Cogliano asked for clarification on which way the one-way streets go.
“Pearce is one-way from the school to Main Street, and Highland is one-way from Vine Street to the school from 1:30 to 5 p.m.,” Scuzzarella clarified.
Vice Chair Jeff Cicolini then agreed with Panetta that there should be a second meeting, which did occur.
Both meetings ended with the board voting unanimously to change the one-way times from 1:30-5 p.m. to 1:30-3 p.m. Monday-Friday.
