By Journal Staff
The Revere Traffic Commission held its regular monthly meeting last Thursday evening, August 15, in the City Council Chambers.
On hand for the session were chair Frank Stringi and fellow members Police Chief David Callahan, Fire Chief Chris Bright, and DPW Supt. Chris Ciaramella.
The commissioners conducted three public hearings.
First up was a request from Mayor Patrick Keefe, “That the Traffic Commission approve the installation of a speed bump on Walnut Avenue in the interest of public safety for the senior residents of 50 Walnut Avenue.”
Ward 2 City Councillor Ira Novoselsky spoke in favor of the proposal.
“I’ve been approached by all of the residents of 50 Walnut Ave., and some at 51 Walnut Ave., who have told me that the speeding down there is terrible and they need some kind of traffic deterrence, whatever it takes, to slow people down in front of the building,” said Novoselsky. “There are MBTA and other buses that discharge seniors and the disabled, but these cars go flying by them.”
Although a person in the audience questioned the efficacy of a speed hump in the immediate area of 50 Walnut Ave. because of the proximity of a nearby stop sign, the commissioners unanimously voted for the measure, though they first will require the placement of a speed board on the street in order to determine the best spot for the speed bump on the street.
Next up was a request to “Amend Schedule II of Title 10, Section C (Left Turns Prohibited) by adding: North Shore Rd. southbound from Cove Street during School Hours/ Residents Excluded.”
Novoselsky also spoke in favor of this measure. “I’ve been contacted by residents of No. Shore Rd. and they told me that No. Shore Rd gets backed up all the way to Shirley Ave.,” he said. “However, I’ve also had calls against it.”
The commission voted to table the motion given that the new signage would affect a one-way street. In addition, since No. Shore Rd. is a state roadway, Mass. DOT will have to weigh-in on the addition of any new traffic-regulating signage that might impact the state roadway.
The third public hearing was a request to, “Amend Schedule XI of Title 10 (Handicapped Person Parking) by adding: 288 Crescent Avenue #1.” The commission received notification from Disabilities Commission chair Ralph DeCicco that the request met the statutory requirements and approved the application.
The commission then took up some new requests. The first was a proposal by Ward 1 Councillor Joanne McKenna, “To have the remaining upper half of Endicott Avenue to have 24-hour/7-days a week permit-parking. The lower half of Endicott has already been completed.”
“I want to do this because most of the streets in Beachmont are permit-parking 24/7, but from 77 to 279 Endicott, there is only overnight resident parking,” said McKenna. “People are parking in front of these residences during the day. MBTA commuters and AirBnB customers are taking up all of the parking. In addition, sightseers are stopping there to eat and take in the view. I’d really like to do this for the residents.”
“I can’t tell you how many neighbors I’ve heard from,” said City Councillor Anthony Zambuto, who echoed McKenna’s comments, while also adding that non-residents who park there “are drinking and relieving themselves in the street.”
Stringi, noting that sightseers are taking photos of the seals on the rocks, agreed that the measure is “much needed.” The commissioners unanimously approved sending the matter to a public hearing at its next meeting.
Ward 5 City Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya requested, “The installation of a sign stating ‘Do Not Block Intersection’ at Revere Street and Stowers Street,” which she said was necessary because residents of Stowers St. are unable to get across Revere St. when Revere Beach traffic backs up to the intersection. The commission unanimously voted to send the issue to a public hearing.
Guarino-Sawaya made another request, “To move the ‘No Parking’ signs located on Gilbert Avenue from the even-numbered side of the street to the odd-numbered side of the street.”
“This is an easy fix,” said Stringi and the commissioners unanimously voted to move the matter to a public hearing.
The next matter was a request from Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro, “To have two crosswalks placed at the intersection of Cushman Avenue and Adams Street. Crosswalks would be placed on Cushman Avenue on both sides of Adams Street. This would allow for pedestrian safety while school is in session.”
After Zambuto spoke briefly on the motion, stating, “We need to do this before someone gets killed,” the commissioners unanimously voted to send it to a public hearing.
Councillor Cogliandro made another request, “For the installation of crosswalks and speed bumps to be placed on East Mountain Avenue at the intersection of East Mountain Avenue and Carey Avenue.”
An East Mountain Ave. resident presented an email that she had sent to the board, reiterating the points she raised in her email, as well as presenting photos of the area to highlight the need for the requests.
In addition, she noted, “This intersection should be treated the same way as the intersection of Mountain Ave. and School St.,” given that the intersection of E. Mountain and Carey Aves. also is an entrance and exit for the high school, but without sidewalks.
The commission moved the matter to a public hearing for the crosswalks, but directed the DPW to install the crosswalks immediately on the basis of it being an urgent safety issue. However, they tabled the motion for the speed bumps pending a traffic analysis.
Another request from Councillor Cogliandro sought, “A ‘Do Not Enter’ sign during the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. to be placed on Tapley Ave. at the intersection of Broadway.”
After Ciaramella noted a logistical issue with the request, the commission tabled the motion in order “to take a closer look.”
Councillor Cogliandro also requested the installation of a “No Trucks” sign at Tapley Avenue at the intersection of Broadway. After Ciaramella noted that such a sign previously had existed, no vote was necessary and the DPW will replace the missing sign.
Next up was a request to, “Add a ‘Do Not Enter’ sign onto Linehurst Street from Rt.1 by Kappy’s Liquors. There was a sign, but someone removed it.” This was filed in conjunction with a request to, “Amend Schedule V of Title 10 (One-Way Streets) by adding the following: Linehurst Rd.-West Agatha St. Rt. 1 North.”
Zambuto spoke in favor of both requests. After some discussion about the impacts, given that there is a trucking company which might have to divert its trucks through the surrounding neighborhood, the commission moved the matters to a public hearing.
Similarly, a request to, “Amend Schedule VI of Title 10 (Heavy Commercial Vehicles – Restricted Streets) by adding the following:
Linehurst Rd., Agatha St., Morris St., Robins Rd., and Bennett St.” was moved to a public hearing.
