TINA GORMAN
WESTFIELD – Council on Aging Executive Director Tina Gorman reported that Pioneer Valley Transit Authority buses are frequently occupying the three loading spaces on Main Street in front of the Senior Center, spaces where seniors are dropped off and picked up by relatives or the PVTA senior shuttle van.
“If no one is in the drop off spaces, the buses are using those three spaces, sometimes for up to 15 minutes before they start their route again,” Gorman said.
“I understand why they are doing it,” Gorman said. “If they park where they’re supposed to park, in front of Rocky’s, the buses block a (westbound) travel lane.
“I can’t have seniors with mobility problems walking up and down the sidewalk looking for their ride or the PVTA shuttle van,” she said.
Gorman said the problem started several weeks ago and has escalated even though she contacted Josh Rickman, the PVTA Manager of Planning and Operations, who reassured her that the buses would cease using the drop-off spaces.
BRIAN P. SULLIVAN
“I called Josh on Friday and he reassured me that it would not happen again, but on the following Monday the bus was again parked where it doesn’t belong,” Gorman said. “In the past a few drivers did it, but the situation has escalated and now all of the buses are doing it. I think it’s in retaliation.”
The PVTA has requested the City Council to amend a city ordinance designating bus stops. The PVTA requested that the Main Street stop in front of Rocky’s Ace Hardware be relocated to Elm Street in front of the United Bank and the Westfield Athenaeum. A bus stop at that location would occupy four parking spaces.
The Council’s Legislative & Ordinance Committee conducted a public hearing at which Athenaeum and United Bank officials objected to the proposal. Several downtown business owners supported that opposition to relocate the bus stop.
The City Council then referred the bus stop ordinance change to the city’s Traffic Commission, an advisory board which is comprised of Police Chief John Camerota; City Engineer Mark Cressotti; Interim Department of Public Works Superintendent Dave Billips; Thomas Liptak, who represented the interests of the city’s business community; and Brian Boldini, a retired police sergeant who headed the Police Department’s traffic bureau and who represents the interest of city residents.
The Traffic Commission voted 5-0 to give a negative recommendation to the City Council for the ordinance amendment establishing a bus stop in front of the Athenaeum and United Bank.
The Commission then voted to recommend that a new Elm Street bus stop be located in front of the former Newberry’s store site near Arnold Street to allow the PVTA to institute bus routes similar to those which will be established when the Arnold Street intermodal facility is constructed.
L&O Chairman Brian Sullivan said this morning that the L&O committee will bring out the PVTA ordinance amendment, as well as the Traffic Commission’s negative recommendation, at the November meeting of the City Council.
