Residents of Beacon Park will not have to worry about their street becoming a cut through for traffic from the new apartment complexes on Arsenal Street.
Tuesday night, the Town Council voted to close off the entrance to the Beacon Park off Arsenal Street. The small street has two other entrances on North Beacon Street.
Residents worked with the town and with District B Councilor Cecilia Lenk to close off access, said Beacon Park resident Dan Clark.
“It is an example of local government working great,” Clark said.
Another resident of the street, Bob Menton, said the traffic from the current light and another one being installed for the new apartment complex at 202-204 Arsenal Street would back up past the entrance to Beacon Park, making it difficult to get out.
Menton added that residents of other nearby side streets between Arsenal and North Beacon streets have complained about closing Beacon Park.
“There is opposition from the neighborhood – Beechwood Avenue, Frank Street, Louise Stret. We’re concerned about those streets, too,” Menton said.
Lenk said she was glad to see the change finally become a reality.
“It is a unique street that does not lend itself to traffic because of its shape (short with curves at either end),” Lenk said. “It will be a beautiful little green space along Arsenal Street.”
After the entrance is closed, half the roadway will be pulled up, said Assistant Town Manager Steve Magoon. The other half will be left so one homeowner whose driveway access Beacon Park on the entryway section.
Bicycles and walkers can still use the entrance, but not motor vehicles, Magoon said. What will happen with the unpaved section has not been decided, but it could be landscaped and/or have stormwater improvements to catch runoff from Beacon Park.