The West Springfield Town Council discusses two traffic rule amendments during its Jan. 21 meeting.
Reminder Publishing screen capture by Tyler Garnet
WEST SPRINGFIELD — After objecting to a proposed traffic rule on Woodmont Street twice, the Town Council approved the proposal at its Feb. 3 meeting.
Originally at the Jan. 6 Town Council meeting, the group discussed two proposed traffic rules including no parking on one side of Woodmont Street.
The public hearing relating to no parking on one side of Woodmont Street was not voted on after a resident proposed moving the no parking side from the even side to the odd side of the street.
City Councilor Michael 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.
When discussing the proposed amendment for Woodmont Street on Jan. 21, Town Councilor Brian 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 when the council discussed it again at the Feb. 3 meeting.
The no parking begins at 200 feet north of the northernly line.
LaFlamme said they did not vote or take a position on the matter in the subcommittee meeting since it has been objected twice and the full Town Council could discuss the item.
LaFlamme stated that after objecting on the item twice, he now feels confident in the proposal.
“Really what happens is we’ve taken a look at Woodmont Street. It’s a tight street, there’s a bend in the road that creates some visibility issues and with all the on-street parking that’s taken place it’s become a little bit of a safety hazard so we’ve taken a look at it in traffic and safety.”
Residents on both sides of the road have brought up some concerns on why the no parking should be on either the even side or the odd side but LaFlamme explained, “We’ve decided to do our due diligence and make sure whatever side we choose is the correct side.”
Knightly has been going to Woodmont Street, taking pictures, looking at it from every angle possible to allow whatever side is chosen is the best decision for safety on that road.
LaFlamme also said he has talked to residents who live on Woodmont Street and told them it has to be either on the even side or the odd side of the street.
He explained, “I know both sides might want it on the other but the one thing I feel confident in is that everybody in that area on the bend has agreed that the parking is an issue so whether the no parking is on the even side or the odd side, hopefully we can address that, have it rather than cars parked on both sides in the bend making it really a one lane road and tough for maybe some emergency vehicles to get through it.”
The Town Council unanimously approved the proposed traffic rule.
