WESTEFIELD – The first item on the agenda at the Legislative & Ordinance Committee on Tuesday was the recommendation from the Traffic Commission in favor of a heavy truck exclusion on Paper Mill Road.
Ward 6 Councilor William Onyski introduced the topic to the committee. “When I got elected, the first calls I got were about trucks on Paper Mill Road,” Onyski said. He said there have been a lot of meetings, support from the police chief, and traffic studies. He said the road which has narrow streets, schools and parks was not made for truck traffic.
The L&O Committee recommended heavy truck exclusion on Papermill Road Tuesday. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Onyski said in order to get the truck exclusion, there is a precise procedure to follow which includes the traffic study, where to reroute traffic, and a positive recommendation from the City Council. He said that Police Chief John Camerota, who was in attendance at the meeting, will then put together a report that goes to the state, which has the ultimate say. If it is approved by the state, it goes back to the City Council.
L&O chair Ralph J. Figy said the matter was in L&O in order to bring a positive or negative recommendation to the City Council.
Assistant solicitor Shanna R. Reed said that trucks with business on the road, or with a business located on it, can use the road, even if the exclusion were to occur. Reed added that the restrictions do not apply to trucks making deliveries on the road.
L&O member Mary O’Connell asked where was the assurance that the Sand & Gravel business located on Paper Mill could use the road. Onyski said it was a state statute.
O’Connell also asked if this exclusion would divert traffic to Springdale Road. Onyski said that trucks are excluded on Springdale, and the traffic would be diverted to Holyoke Road.
“We’ve established a truck route through Westfield,” Camerota said. When O’Connell asked how truckers would know about the truck route, and if it would be by getting tickets, the police chief said the city was not going to ticket at first, but to educate.
Onyski repeated that Paper Mill was a narrow street with a school, park and houses near the roads which was not designed for heavy truck traffic. He asked for a positive recommendation to the full City Council for truck exclusion on Paper Mill Road and for it to be sent to the state. The committee recommended the matter 3-0.
Also recommended 3-0 to the full Council was a motion by At-large Councilor Dan Allie to restore the parking spaces on Elm Street where the temporary bus stop had been. Figy said that the motion did not require any changes in ordinances, but just a vote to restore the parking.
