WESTFIELD – The Department of Public Works is modifying the painted lines on two city streets to “tweak” traffic patterns on Court and Pochassic Streets.
City Engineer Mark Cressotti said the line indicating turning and traffic flow patterns on Court Street, at the intersection of Washington Street, are being adjusted and that that process will continue as the traffic pattern is further refined.
“Right now, we’re just trying to get the basic traffic pattern, but it’s not done,” Cressotti said. “The intent is that traffic patterns in both directions, east and west, on Court Street should reflect similar motions.”
Initially the westbound pattern at Washington Street had two lanes, one dedicated for right turns onto Washington Street and the other for through traffic. The newly painted lines indicate that both are through lanes, with the right lane also available for right turns onto Washington Street.
The eastbound patterns will also be modified. Originally there was a dedicated left turn onto Washington Street and one through lane. The newly painted pattern will designate both eastbound lanes as through lanes and that the left lane will accommodate left turns onto Washington Street.
Cressotti said that other modifications to the Court Street corridor are being evaluated due to requests from businesses along that street whose on-street parking was eliminated to accommodate dedicated left turn lanes.
Casey Berube of the Department of Public Works Highway Division said that new traffic lanes were painted on lower Pochassic Street, also known as Drugstore Hill, to reflect a decision made by the city’s Traffic Commission.
When Pochassic Street was opened to traffic last year after replacement of the bridge at the top of the hill, the lines reflected one lane up to prospect Hill and two lanes down the hill to North Elm Street. That pattern was painted to facilitate the flow of traffic off Prospect Hill, but has resulted in tight turning radii onto North Elm Street.
Berube said that the newly painted lines show one lane in each direction.
“It was too tight to swing onto North Elm Street,” Berube said. “Now there are just two lanes with a wider turning radius.”
