WESTFIELD – The Traffic Commission has tentatively slated a special meeting for early February to review traffic and parking ordinances for streets in the Gaslight District and submit amendments to the City Council.
The issue was raised Wednesday night during a report being presented by Heather Miller of the Engineering Department and Off-street Parking Director Denise Carey about the changes to parking implemented as part of the Gaslight District improvements.
Public Works Superintendent David Billips requested that Miller and Carey generate a map to go along with Carey’s recommendation for ordinance amendments.
The inclusion of bump-outs at pedestrian crosswalks has eliminated some parking spaces, while others, prohibited under the current ordinances, were installed as part of the construction.
“Some of the (ordinance) language is old and for conditions that don’t exist anymore,” Miller said.
“We need to remove that language and insert new language into city ordinances,” Carey said.
Chief John Camerota, who chairs the Traffic Commission, also questioned if Church Street will become a one-way street and if on-street parking will be allowed.
“Church Street is so narrow that the city has to remove the snow banks to keep it open to traffic,” Camerota said.
City Engineer Mark Cressotti said the project engineers at VHB have proposed making Church Street a one-way street but that he opposes that proposal.
Camerota called for a special meeting on Feb. 4 to review proposed ordinance amendments and associated map, which will then be sent to the City Council before construction resumes next spring.
Cressotti said the contractor, Gagliarducci Construction Inc. of Springfield, is taking advantage of the unseasonably mild weather to continue construction on elements of the $5.9 million Gaslight District work.
“The Gaslight District Project has proved to be challenging,” Cressotti said. “Coordinating work with the utilities has been challenging and parking will be more challenging. It’s taking shape slower than I anticipated.”
