Saturday, November 28, 2009
Columbian Square Traffic
All you Waheys that have strayed from the plantation are often surprised when you come to South Weymouth for a visit, at the traffic problem in Columbian Square. For those of us living nearby, it's not new, but certainly getting worse as each year passes. The traffic is particularly frustrating during rush hours, in the morning and afternoon and most of it comes from the hospital. The South Shore Hospital is the largest employer around and continues to grow in leaps and bounds, which is a good thing.
The down side to the hospital's success is the traffic. If and when Southfield ever gets underway, the traffic will only get worse. The town has conducted traffic studies and has considered different plans to renovate the square so that traffic congestion can be alleviated. Of course, in true town government fashion, this has been going on for about twenty years and no solution appears to be coming anytime soon. One of the hold-ups is how to maintain the square's original small town charm by allowing curb-side parking. Another is that local merchants are against any changes that will adversely affect their businesses.
Sometimes the best solution is the simplest. A Wahey Boy recently suggested having police direct traffic, at least during the rush hour periods. I'm not sure why this hasn't happened before. I'm sure cost is a factor but it would certainly be in the best interest of the hospital to pay for this seeing as they are the main cause.
Town Counciler Ed Harrington recently lobbied the hospital to pay for an emergency warning system on the traffic light located at Pine Street and Ralph Talbot. The cost of this was around $30,000 and was negotiated as part of allowing the hospital to add a couple of floors to one of their buildings. That traffic light is approximately 2 miles away from the hospital. If the hospital is willing to do that, then I would think paying to solve a problem 100 yards down the street from their Emergency Entrance is not out of the question.
Several years ago, a bank was built across the street from the Stetson Building on Route 18. Traffic at that intersection (Middle and West) has historically been a problem and part of allowing the construction was that the bank was to pay for a traffic detail for customers accessing the bank. The police detail is still there every day and I'm sure the town isn't paying for it.
POSTED BY STAN on November 28, 2009
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