Lane marking lines were completed on Court Street last night (Photo by James Johnson-Corwin)
WESTFIELD – Motorists traveling Court Street met with confusion yesterday, as several yellow lane markings lay unfinished yesterday afternoon.
City Engineer Mark Cressotti confirmed that the markings were incomplete and that they would be completed last night.
“We’re adding center turning lanes and doing what’s popularly known as pavement or roadway guiding,” said Cressotti. “On Court Street – and what we will be doing on Franklin Street – is reducing from four travel lanes to three, with the center lane being the third.”
Cressotti also stated that the move to three lanes will provide more accommodations for bicyclists traveling along Court Street.
Cressotti said at a recent Traffic Commission meeting that traditionally the dedicated left turn lanes are created with raised islands or cobblestone rumble strips but that the funding is not currently available for installment of those measures and that the painted lines are a temporary alternative.
“We have some roadway managing to get that fully in place,” he said, adding that these changes will also eliminate parking on Court Street.
Casey Berube of the Westfield Department of Public Works stated that adjustments to the original plans have been made and that the contractor responsible for the markings – Markings, Inc. of Pembroke – would be back in town to complete the yellow lane markings.
“The engineered plans didn’t allow for a left-turn lane for eastbound traffic entering City Hall or the YMCA,” said Berube.
“These are traffic calming measures. We’re trying to add in a bike lane and this is a step in that direction,” he said, adding that the markings are being applied with paint and not the usual thermoplastic.
The markings for a dedicated left turn lane entering City Hall were completed yesterday evening. (Photo by James Johnson-Corwin)
“You can look at, review and scan the plans and they may make sense on paper, but then when you put them to practical use, you may see some problems,” Berube said.
With exceptions made yesterday afternoon, the original plans for the traffic markings were implemented last night, according to Berube.
“The fog-line is getting pushed out to allow for bicycle traffic. It’s not a dedicated bicycle lane yet, but it’s setting that mentality in place,” he said. “The plans are supposed to enhance the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists.”
