WESTFIELD—The city’s Traffic Commission is expected to make recommendations to the city’s Planning Board regarding the proposed school on Root Road by the Board’s next meeting Jan. 16.
Potential recommendations to the Planning Board include an independent review of a traffic study provided by Sage Engineering related to the proposed school on Root Road. In addition, speed reduction and increased enforcement may occur on Root Road, as well as increased “no parking” areas along the road.
“We’re seriously going to have to look at speed enforcement and reducing speed,” Westfield Police Chief and Traffic Commission Chairperson John Camerota, said.
According to Mark Cressotti, Traffic Commission member and City Engineer, the Commission received a traffic generation report regarding the proposal yesterday, Dec. 20, and are expected to review it.
However, Cressotti said that at least one recommendation coming from the Traffic Commission will be that a third part independent reviewer look at the submitted report.
The proposed school on Root Road is in the area of the Roots Athletic Complex. The proposed three-story academic institution has over 100 parking spaces and could potentially house nearly 600 students, with the latest number given being 249 middle school students and 332 high school students, totaling 581 students.
Concerns have been made about the potential traffic issues that the plans could create along the road, among other problems. According to the Traffic Commission, the school could have students coming in from nearby communities and not just Westfield, which may increase car traffic.
And according to Camerota, if the school becomes a reality, then it is expected to make matters on Root Road worse.
“Definitely a problem on Root Road and it’s going to become worse,” he said.
He added during the meeting that traffic has increased on the road. During a speed study between Sept. 28 at 1:45 p.m., and Oct. 2 at 8 a.m., the study recorded 10,460 vehicles that traveled the road in that span. Of those, just over 1,000 of the vehicles were reported going 45 MPH or greater. Data was not available at the time however, for other travel totals previously.
Residents voiced their concerns about the road safety to the Commission, and Camerota said that they would look at increasing “no parking” signage, as well as reducing speed limit. He would also make suggestions to City Planner Jay Vinskey.
“We will deal with it,” he said.
Camerota went so far as to suggest that the speed limit may be 30 MPH, with areas of high activity lowered to 25 MPH. However, he said that the Commission would have to discuss the matter further before making a determination.
Other concerns residents raised was about the potential parking issues that could occur on the property itself. However, the Commission noted that this matter is for the Planning Board to determine.
