Milton streets committee begins debate on traffic report

Milton’s Streets, Sidewalks and Parks Committee began discussion Nov. 30 on how to sort out recommendations brought by an ad hoc committee on ways to improve traffic in town.

The streets committee has been tasked with sussing out priorities in the 140-plus-page report and providing recommendations to Milton Town Council within 90 days. 

At that meeting, the committee heard a presentation on the report from the chair of the ad hoc committee, Councilwoman Randi Meredith.

Meredith said research through a town-wide survey and eight walk audits, when citizens were asked to walk sections of town to observe traffic conditions in real time, revealed that the people’s primary concern was speeding. 

“Speeding is an ongoing problem, and people are sick of it,” she said.

Speeding is viewed as such a problem by citizens, Meredith said, that some residents have taken to putting out their own “slow down” signs at their homes. 

She said the ad hoc committee’s recommended solution was traffic calming, which would reduce speeding and make it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to get around. 

The ad hoc committee’s recommendations were made in two parts. The first part includes measures that town council could take up right away: more radar signs, reduced speed limits with split speeds for cars and large trucks, additional speed limit signs and directing large truck traffic to use Route 5.

Regarding pedestrian safety and access, the ad hoc committee recommended raised crosswalks at points along Mulberry and Federal streets and increased crosswalk maintenance. Meredith said the town also has issues with utilities blocking sidewalk access at various points. 

The town has taken some steps to address this issue, with money budgeted in the 2022 fiscal year budget for eight radar signs to be placed around town. 

The last part of the first set of recommendations was to seek funding for a feasibility study of current traffic patterns, utility access and beautification measures to find engineered solutions to some of the town’s transportation problems. Meredith said two issues that could be considered as part of an overall feasibility study are converting streets to one-way traffic in certain places and putting utility lines underground. 

Part 2 of the ad hoc committee’s recommendations included more long-term goals that the streets committee is tasked with prioritizing. Among those recommendations are a 4-way stop at the intersection of Chestnut and Wharton streets with crosswalks, curb extensions and bump-outs. Meredith said the ad hoc committee also calls for improving the intersection of Federal, Union and Front streets.

“There’s so much happening at this intersection, it doesn’t make sense,” she said. 

Meredith said the recommendation there is to have a 4-way stop and convert the current left-hand turn lane into a bike parking area. She said this would help remove a dysfunctional intersection from the center of town. 

“It’s OK to change it,” Meredith said. 

The streets committee limited its discussion at the Nov. 30 meeting to basic questions and comments. 

Committee member DJ Hughes said he would like to see crash data before making any priorities on intersection changes. 

Chair Jack Bushey said he liked the idea of underground utilities, although the cost may be too much for the town to handle in the near future. Bushey said Milton has had a speeding problem for years, but speeding is not enforced enough to properly deter it. He said he also liked the idea of more crosswalks. 

The committee will resume discussion at its next meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 21.