The West Springfield Town Council disscusses two traffic rule amendments during its Jan. 21 meeting.
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WEST SPRINGFIELD — After objecting to two traffic rules proposals at their previous meeting, the West Springfield Town Council approved traffic rules for Hillcrest Avenue and Woodmont Street.
At the Jan. 6 Town Council meeting, the group discussed two proposed traffic rules for no parking on one side of Hillcrest Avenue and Woodmont Street.
For Hillcrest Avenue, City Councilor and Traffic and Safety Subcommittee Chair Brian Griffin explained that in the proposed area in and around the Hillcrest Avenue corridor, there is some congestion almost to the point where emergency vehicles cannot get through the corner of Hillcrest Avenue.
He said, “We took that into consideration and had the town engineer develop this area that we would establish no parking with. We are trying to relieve that congestion; let emergency vehicles get through etcetera so that’s the crux of Hillcrest Avenue.
Griffin also acknowledged concerns brought to the subcommittee’s attention about the congestion and narrow curve about all traffic not just emergency vehicles.
“We tried to do the best we could to pick an area where we could relieve this, what we consider congestion, in and around that curve and make it better for everyone to travel.”
The Town Council did not vote on this item after an objection by a Town Council member Michael LaFlamme. A further discussion will be had at the next Town Council meeting after the members were torn on a decision after discussing potentially making a shorter section of no parking on one side.
The public hearing relating to no parking on one side of Woodmont Street was also not voted on after a resident proposed moving the no parking side from the even side to the odd side of the street.
LaFlamme explained, “Currently as it’s designed to be on the even side but that’s not something we can’t take a look at. I don’t think this is something that’s urgent and needs to go into effect tonight. I’d rather take the two weeks, take another look at it, talk to the town engineer and get his thinking behind it and talk to the residents as well.”
Town Council President Sean Powers explained that when a councilor objects to a vote, it automatically moves to the next meeting, which was Jan. 21.
After listening to the suggestions, Griffin said there was nothing to add besides “we did have an email from a constituent earlier today in which Councilor [Anthony] DiStefano was able to opine to the constituent and in the body of that email he did indicate again the necessity of this and how and why we were going about this.”
The Town Council unanimously approved the traffic order for Hillcrest Avenue. The amendment prohibits parking on Hillcrest Avenue from the southernly line on the right of way known as Eustis Avenue then southernly a distance of 175 feet.
When discussing the proposed amendment for Woodmont St., Griffin said he and Laflamme wanted to object the item again after meeting with Town Engineer Connor Knightly.
Griffin explained, “We introduced the two scenarios that were happening and the two opposing viewpoints to the outlined amendment so with that in mind, we asked Connor to go back and dissect this area one more time. He did not take into consideration when we first introduced this was Wisteria [Street] and how it could be blocked by anybody moving from Wisteria. We all know Connor; he’s going to get it done. He asked us for some acquiescence to move this to two weeks.”
The Town Council unanimously objected the item and will discuss it again at its next meeting on Monday, Feb. 3.
