The Westfield Traffic Commission discussed setting this traffic signal, where cars exit left in front of the Westwood, to a red arrow, because motorists have a dedicated lane to turn into on North Elm Street. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – The Traffic Commission will recommend changing traffic light sequences in the CORE district to facilitate a better flow of traffic, a simple goal with several complications.
One of the major complications is that federal funding of recently completed major road and bridge projects has strings attached that may limit the modifications the city can make to the traffic pattern, including to traffic signals, established during those projects.
Police Chief John Camerota, chairman of the Traffic Commission, requested the Engineering and Public Works departments to set all traffic signals on a flashing sequence between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Motorists traveling south on Elm Street had a flashing yellow traffic signal while westbound motorists attempting to cross Elm Street to enter School Street, above, had a flashing red light during the reconstruction of the Park Square Green area. The Traffic Commission will recommend changing the traffic control lights in the CORE district to facilitate better traffic flow. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
The commission members also discussed setting the traffic signals at several intersections on flashing red sequence. One of the intersections discussed was at Elm and School streets; another was the U turn from Union Street to North Elm Street in front of the Westwood building.
The Elm and School streets intersection was a flashing signal for months while the Park Square Green area was reconstructed during the Main/Broad street project. Motorists traveling south on Elm Street had a flashing yellow signal while westbound motorists attempting to cross Elm Street to enter School Street had a flashing red light.
“It worked well during that construction,” Camerota said.
The commission, which removed “No Turn on Red” traffic signs around the Great River Bridge traffic pattern, said the traffic light on the U-turn in front of Westwood should be converted to a red arrow because those motorists have a dedicated lane to turn into on North Elm Street.
The issue with the flashing signal sequence is that it may inhibit the pedestrian crossing signals. The Engineering Department will further investigate the programming options for the traffic signals that were installed with new technology during the infrastructure improvement projects.
In other business, the commission is considering prohibiting all on-street parking on Monroe Street and on sections of Chapel Street from the area of the Monroe intersection to Mechanic Street.
Officer Kevin Bard of the Community Policing Bureau reported that parked cars on Monroe Street, especially those near the intersections of Thomas and Chapel streets inhibit access by emergency vehicles.
Bard said that he spoke with the landlords of apartments on those streets. The owner of several Monroe Street properties said that he also owned 97 Elm Street and that there is ample parking from the Monroe residence in the lot behind the Elm Street property.
The owner of several Chapel Street apartment buildings has also arranged for parking for his tenants, while several houses on those two streets have adequate on-site parking for residents.
Bard and Off-street Parking Director Denise Carey said much of the on-street parking is being taken by Westfield State University Students living at the Lansdowne Apartments on Thomas Street. The apartment has limited on-site parking and students who can’t find a space in the on-site lots are required to have a parking sticker from the Arnold Street off-street parking lot, a much longer walk than from Monroe or Chapel streets.
Police Chief John Camerota, chairman of the Traffic Commission, suggested that another option is to issue resident parking decals for Chapel Street that would require proof of residence, similar to a program used in neighborhoods off Western Avenue.
City Engineer Mark Cressotti said that the commission may want to consider making Monroe Street, which is now a one-way street from Thomas Street to Chapel Street, a two-way street.
“If there is no parking allowed on Monroe Street would you consider two-way traffic? The one-way pattern has been a problem for the (Westfield) Bank,” Cressotti said.
The commission voted to table the issue to further investigate of possible solutions.
