Norfolk County Commissioners Block Efforts to Calm Traffic on Canton Street
According to a press release posted on the Norfolk County Commissioners website, the board has unanimously denied the request by Westwood to modify Canton Street. The press release includes no details on the rationale behind this decision, but last year, the issue was the subject of some controversy at a public hearing where Canton selectmen spoke in opposition to the modifications based in part on larger concerns about the influx of traffic that could be generated if and when Westwood Station is built.
The proposed changes are part of a process that included dozens of meetings with residents and development of an engineering proposal that--regardless of the future of Westwood Station--was designed to slow down traffic and improve public safety in the Westwood neighborhoods. Full details on the plans for traffic calming in the Canton-Everett-Forbes area are available on the Town of Westwood website.
No local media has covered this story yet. I am biased, as a Westwood resident who would like to see Canton street turned in a safer street that would allow pedestrians and cyclists to navigate without fear for their lives, but I can also understand the road serves vital transportation needs between Dedham, route 128, and Canton. A previous proposal to "dead-end" Canton Street at 128 drew massive criticism from Dedham residents who use East Street to get onto the highway. The criticism from the public hearing--as reported above--indicated opponents felt Westwood had not done enough engineering study or planning--but from what I can see, there have been YEARS of thought put into this, coupled with an effort to address the concerns of residents all along the way. Following the reation to the initial ideas in 2007, a whole series of public meetings and engagement with an engineering firm resulted in the current plan. Traffic study data can be downloaded from the town website.
Regardless of how ANYONE feels about Westwood Station, this is a project that needs to happen. I hope the County Commissioners will provide more details on the basis of their denial of this request as I'm sure the matter will now wend its way into the legal system--generating more expense, more delay, and no progress for those who see Canton Street as an extended off ramp from 128...
Comments
Let's Not Forget
Dick Bean
Let's please keep the focus on all three streets which were proposed to be altered for traffic safety. What is done to one affects the other two, though most people outside this neighborhood really don't know the layout of the streets involved.
I attended and spoke at both Norfolk County Commissioners' public hearings, and I think a good case was made for the public safety aspects of the proposed changes.
What next? Let's hear from our town officials. They never posted anything on the "Westwood Traffic Advisory Board" website hosted by Jason Lee. Let's hope they change that, and get information out to area residents on this site.
Let the Great White Elephant die.
Dave Atkins says "Regardless of how ANYONE feels about Westwood Station, this is a project that needs to happen."
Dave have you ever heard the expression throwing good money after bad.
If CC&F looses their special permit than so be it. The lawyers in Westwood that where hired are the only ones benefiting from Westwood Station.
From the very beginning of this project our own board members where not being honest with us. One board member stood up at town meeting and explained how we should rezone university avenue. He goes on to tell us how this will force the developer to do what we want him to do. Does anyone in this town believe we forced CC&F to want to build a mixed use project or that was the game plan from the get go.
This town is controlled by the BOS and they know it. Believe it or not there was only a couple of board members that really pushed for Westwood Station and made their vision the towns vision. They painted such a nice picture and that's all it was a pretty picture and not reality. The reality is they got greedy which in turn the town followed down the greed path.
The town can keep chasing the Westwood Station dream or drop it and come up with a new plan. At every turn when it comes to Westwood Station there is one problem or another and nothing moves forward. I have not even mentioned Canton Street which is just another Westwood Station problem.
don't leave money on the table...
when I said "project" above, I mean the traffic calming measures. If CC&F is already committed to this, then it should be done. If Westwood Station is never built, at least the existing problems on Canton/Everett/Forbes would be improved.