Traffic Commission in brief: New Watch Factory apartments and stalled traffic funding

The Traffic Commission at its Nov. 20 meeting voted to approve a traffic study that examined a 140-apartment addition to the Watch Factory Lofts.

Traffic firm BSG Group presented the study, projecting that the new apartments would not cause any significant traffic delays because new traffic would disperse fairly equally down nearby streets. 

Still, the consultant proposed limiting left turns from Prospect Street onto Highland Street to decrease delays and reduce on-street parking on Crescent Street near the Watch Factory driveway to improve sight distance. It also suggested adding a flashing crosswalk beacon in front of the apartments on Crescent Street.

Although the Traffic Commission approved the construction, it voted to hold off on implementing any of the proposed traffic changes.

“This project is before us saying [it will have] ‘minimal impact, so don’t worry about a thing’ — yet we start changing things that have been in effect for 100 years,” said City Treasurer Tom Magno. He proposed that the commission wait to make longer-term traffic changes in its response to the West End Traffic Study.

Pending projects and funding confusion

Traffic Engineer J. Michael Garvin updated the board on his department’s progress on projects previously approved by the Traffic Commission. The list included multiple items from last month’s meeting, including an all-way stop at the intersection of Lowell and Myrtle streets; changes to street parking on Moody Street, Crescent Street, Hammond Street, Main Street and Lakeview Avenue; changing turning regulations at the intersection of Moody, Maple, and High streets.

Garvin said he had requested funding for eight projects from Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy. He said out of the eight, she designated new funding for one project — a pedestrian crossing at Winter and West streets. 

McCarthy rejected four requests: she characterized a flashing yellow arrow at Lexington and Lake streets as dangerous; an additional concurrent walk signal at Lexington and Main streets as problematic; and opposed signal changes at Main and Appleton streets because of requests her office had received from nearby churchgoers. 

McCarthy also denied funding for traffic detectors in the right turn lane out of Kennedy Middle School, which Garvin said forced school buses to make right turns during a red light, violating the rules of the intersection.

The head of the Wires Department, Tim Kelly, said that he would be able to fund one project out of his department’s budget. Kelly and Garvin expressed that they had received conflicting directives for where to source the $36,000 required to complete the remaining three projects.

Additionally, the Traffic Commission:

• Agreed to temporarily trial a flashing stop sign at the intersection of Cedarwood Avenue and Villa Street. The commission will add flashing lights to the stop sign for two months and study its effect on traffic.
• Authorized Garvin to collect data for a No Engine Breaking sign on Trapelo Road, a crosswalk on Main Street at Wellington and potential speeding on Lakeview Avenue.
• Approved four new crosswalks around Henry Whittemore Elementary School, preliminarily approving one more at the intersection of Parmenter and Brown streets once the city installs ADA-compliant ramps. It also requested the state add a crosswalk at the intersection of Stow and Weston streets. 
• Approved traffic plans for next summer’s RiverBeat and Steampunk festivals. The RiverBeat festival coordinators agreed to conduct a meeting with the Waltham Police Department to discuss a police detail for the event.
• Considered adding a traffic signal to the intersection of Lexington and Pond streets. Garvin said the intersection did not meet legal requirements for a signal, although that might change once The Alexan, a recently constructed residential development on Pond Street, is fully occupied. He suggested the commission could more effectively control.