By Journal Staff
The Revere Traffic Commission held a regular monthly meeting last Thursday, September 18, in the City Councillor Joseph A. Del Grosso Council Chambers. On hand for the session were Chair and DPW Director Christopher Ciaramella and fellow members City Engineer Nick Rystrom, new Police Chief Maria LaVita, and Fire Chief James Cullen.
The commission held a number of public hearings, after which the commissioners voted to adopt a number of amendments to the city’s parking and traffic control ordinances.
The first matter pertained to making Cary Avenue one-way southerly (at the RHS parking lot) to E. Mountain Avenue and adding a “DO NOT ENTER — Residents Only” sign for Cary Avenue northerly to E. Mountain Avenue. Ciaramella noted that the signs already were in place, so the vote was needed to ratify the changes. There were no opponents and the commissioners unanimously approved the motion.
Next up was an amendment to add a stop sign on Winthrop Avenue eastbound at Webster Street. Ward 1 City Councillor Joanne McKenna spoke in favor of the change. “We have a direct path for about two and one-half blocks and people are speeding along that street. It’s a necessary place to put a stop sign,” McKenna said.
There were no opponents and the change was approved unanimously.
The next matter was a request to Amend Schedule XI of Title 10 (Handicapped Person Parking) by adding 40 Warren Street, which does not have a driveway for the elderly resident. The commission voted unanimously to add the handicapped spot.
The next matter was a request to place a “No Parking Here to Corner” sign from 650 Beach St. to North Shore Rd. Ward 2 City Councilor Ira Novoselsky, the dean of the City Council, spoke in favor of the amendment and the commission approved it unanimously.
The next items on the agenda were requests to Amend Schedule VIII of Title 10 (Parking Restrictions Generally) by removing the 24-Hour Residential Parking Permit restrictions on the grid of streets in the Riverside neighborhood (Archer Street, Lawson Avenue, Wadleigh Avenue, Beckett Avenue, Blanchard Avenue, River Avenue, Gilbert Avenue, Frank Avenue, and Tobin Avenue) and adding, “Overnight Residential Parking from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.
7 Nights a Week, excluding federal holidays.”
Ward 5 City Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya spoke in favor of the amendments, which have been sought by the residents for almost two years and which have been a source of contention with city officials. “These motions speak for themselves,” said Guarino-Sawaya. “This would be the best thing for this neighborhood.” The commission unanimously approved the changes.
Next up was a request to Amend Schedule XI of Title 10 (Handicapped Person Parking) by adding 2 Bateman Road. The commissioners voted to send the matter to a public hearing at its next meeting.
There were two requests from Mayor Patrick Keefe. The first was as follows: “That Chief LaVita enforce the provisions of MGL Chapter 90, Section 1E. Further, that the Chief
of Police, in conjunction with the Superintendent of Public Schools, develop an educational
campaign for students relative to the laws and proper usage of motorized scooters.”
The statute requires that the operators of motorized scooters have a driver’s license, that the scooters must be registered and insured, and that operators and passengers wear helmets. The lack of conformity with the law — many owners of these scooters are not aware that they are deemed motor vehicles — has plagued communities throughout the state.
“We had this conversation with the superintendent before school started and we’ve updated the School Resource Officers with updates about the intricacies of the law,” said Chief LaVita.
The other request from the mayor was the following: “That the Traffic Commission, in coordination with MassDOT, evaluate and implement safety measures at the corner of North Shore Road and Vera Street in Oak Island. The property at 795 North Shore Road has been struck by vehicles at least four-five times due to the high rate of speed in this area. Most recently, a car hit a pole and crashed through the property’s fence. The installation of barriers or a guardrail should be considered to protect residents and prevent further incidents. The owner of the property has been requesting that something be done for over 12 years.”
Ciaramella said he would be in contact with MassDOT to inquire about the request.
The commission also moved to a public hearing a change to the city’s ordinances to update the schedule of parking fines in the city.
Julie DeMauro from the Traffic Working Group (TWG) updated the commission on a few items. She discussed the proposed changes regarding the number of signatures required for citizen-petitions, as well as changes to the criteria for new traffic regulations.
DeMauro said that Centennial Ave. will be recommended for traffic-calming measures, such as a raised crosswalk. DeMauro noted that on Campbell Ave., the TWG’s data collection indicates that there is a high volume of traffic and excessive speeding, which likewise call for speed-calming measures.
DeMauro also brought up the petition by residents of Endicott Ave. regarding speeding, which has been verified by the data. She said that infrastructure improvements such as bump-outs or extending the island on the street will be considered.
