Pittsfield Traffic Commission OKs Stop Signs, Parking Requests
 |
| A stop sign was approved for the intersection of Thomas Road and Thomas Island Road. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Traffic Commission granted stop signs and downtown parking requests during its recent regular meeting.
A petition from Ward 7 Councilor Kathy Moody to install stop signs at the corner of Thomas Road and Thomas Island Road was approved. One sign will be installed at Thomas Road and Thomas Island Road, and one at the corner of Thomas Island Road and Pecks Road.
Moody said for some reason, people don't understand they need to stop at the "very clear" intersection into the neighborhood alongside Onota Lake off Peck's Road.
"It's really difficult to see right there. Because of the corners, people are not stopping, and I have several phone calls from constituents that live on Thomas Island who have nearly been in very bad accidents there," she explained about the corner of Thomas Road and Thomas Island Road.
"If we could put a stop sign there, that would be terrific. It would help improve the safety of the neighborhood. It's a very small neighborhood. The roads are narrow. There are pedestrians everywhere. Having a stop sign to protect people at that almost blind corner would be very useful."
Police Sgt. David Hallas couldn't recall any significant vehicle accidents in that area, but said that speeding on that section of Peck's Road is "quite an issue."
Other commissioners commented that the roads on the island are very narrow, and it is one of the few places with mirrors so that drivers can see around corners.
Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren's request for a stop sign at the intersection of Partridge Road and Oak Hill Road was also approved. He said it is a similar situation to Thomas Island.
"I've had two neighbors who are right on that corner who talk about how people are constantly going through that, and there's been some near misses," he said.
"Obviously, it's a lot better now because it's very slow on that road. I've actually been on that road a couple times in the last week for other reasons, and it's slower, and people seem to like that. But still, there are almost accidents at that intersection, so they were requesting a stop sign."
The commission also approved changes to parking regulations on Church, Edwin, and West Streets. This is in response to a request for additional on-street parking around 99 West Street, the future corporate headquarters for Pittsfield Cooperative Bank.
The north side of Church Street will be 90-minute free parking from the easterly line of Center Street to the westerly line of Edwin Street, and there will be a no-parking zone from the easterly line of Edwin Street to the westerly line of South Street.
On the south side of Center Street, there will be no parking from the easterly line of Center Street to the westerly line of Edwin Street, and 90-minute free parking from the easterly line of Edwin Street to the westerly line of South Street.
Edwin Street, which runs between 99 West St. and The Holiday Inn, will be municipal parking on both sides. The hotel recently demolished its crumbling parking garage and is replacing it with a smaller one.
"There's a couple new tenants moving in. They're going to have more cars, and the hotel is now going to have a smaller parking garage. They're also going to have surface lots, but they also wanted more parking for the guests," Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey explained.
"And then the TD Bank building is becoming a different bank, and they are anticipating having more cars in the parking lot, so they need their parking lot back."
Tags: traffic commission, traffic signage,
