A map showing the proposed improvements by MassDOT around Hosmer School.
Note: The meeting originally scheduled for March 15 has been postponed to April 5.
A Design Public Hearing will be held by MassDOT to discuss the proposed improvements project under the “Safe Routes to School” program for the Hosmer Elementary School in Watertown, MA, state officials announced.
See more information about the project here: http://www.watertowndpw.org/Pages/construction/HosmerIndex
WHERE: Hosmer Elementary School Cafeteria, 1 Concord Road, Watertown, MA 02472
WHEN: Wednesday, April 5, 2017 at 7 p.m.
PURPOSE: The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the Town of Watertown are proposing pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements for the Hosmer Elementary School as part of the Safe Routes to School infrastructure program. The project is located at the intersection of Chauncey Street and Boylston Street and continues on Boylston Street through the School Street intersection, ending just north of Fairfield Street. The goal of the project is to improve walking and bicycling safety and access to/from the Hosmer Elementary School.
PROPOSAL: The proposed project includes the installation of new cement concrete sidewalks and granite curbing along Chauncey Street immediately adjacent to the school, and on Boylston Street within the project limits. Geometric improvements will be made at the intersections of Chauncey Street at Boylston Street, Hosmer Street at Boylston Street, and Hazel Street at Boylston Street. New ADA compliant ramps will be provided at all intersections and upgraded pavement markings and signs will be installed. The project also includes the reconstruction of the roadway pavement, installation of curb extensions to provide shorter crossing for students and pedestrians, and associated modifications to the existing drainage system.
A secure right-of- way is necessary for this project. Acquisitions in fee and permanent or temporary easements may be required. The Town of Watertown is responsible for acquiring all needed rights in private or public lands. MassDOT’s policy concerning land acquisitions will be discussed at this hearing.
Written views received by MassDOT subsequent to the date of this notice and up to five (5) days prior to the date of the hearing shall be displayed for public inspection and copying at the time and date listed above. Plans will be on display one-half hour before the hearing begins, with an engineer in attendance to answer questions regarding this project. A project handout will be made available on the MassDOT website listed below.
Written statements and other exhibits in place of, or in addition to, oral statements made at the Public Hearing regarding the proposed undertaking are to be submitted to Patricia A. Leavenworth, P.E., Chief Engineer, MassDOT, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, Attention.: Roadway Project Management, Project File No. 608004. Such submissions will also be accepted at the hearing. Mailed statements and exhibits intended for inclusion in the public hearing transcript must be postmarked within ten (10) business days of this Public Hearing. Project inquiries may be emailed to dot.feedback.highway@state.ma.us
This location is accessible to people with disabilities. MassDOT provides reasonable accommodations and/or language assistance free of charge upon request (including but not limited to interpreters in American Sign Language and languages other than English, open or closed captioning for videos, assistive listening devices and alternate material formats, such as audio tapes, Braille and large print), as available. For accommodation or language assistance, please contact MassDOT’s Chief Diversity and Civil Rights Officer by phone (857368-8580), fax (857-368-0602), TTD/TTY (857-368- 0603) or by email (MassDOT.CivilRights@dot.state.ma.us). Requests should be made as soon as possible prior to the meeting, and for more difficult to arrange services including sign-language, CART or language translation or interpretation, requests should be made at least ten (10) business days before the meeting.
In case of inclement weather, hearing cancellation announcements will be posted on the internet at http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/Highway/
What a good idea to look at the pedestrian (and auto) approaches to school–in this case the Hosmer. Wouldn’t it be great if a Transportation Planning expert consultant took a look at all of our schools and the sidewalks and streets that connect them (or should) and give us a town wide assessment? Our Town Council more than a year ago agreed that the piecemeal approach to transportation planning was insufficient and they allocated funds to be spent on transportation. At the same time the Council nixed the idea of a Moratorium that would give time for over-all planning. The citizen activists behind the move were led to believe that a Transportation Planner consultant was included with funds for developer shuttles. However, we haven’t seen a town wide approach although developments are giving their abutting traffic lights a tune up and corridor decisions and safe routes to school ideas are being sought. But what we need is to put into practice the fact that Planning has to come before Zoning and that we need a town wide assessment of what is and what could be before all these piecemeal decisions about traffic are made.
Great, another town inspired brainstorm that’s an unnecessary fix for a problem that doesn’t exist (other than imaginary ones).
If anything, this will make present conditions worse and increase the likelihood of accidents by tightening the flow of traffic (which was oftentimes frustrating when my child attended Hosmer), especially during the winter months and the snowbanks edge closer to the street.
Meeting has been rescheduled to Wednesday April 5th
http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/EventCalendar/tabid/428/ModuleID/1247/ItemID/2564/mctl/EventDetails/Default.aspx