Hello everyone.

My name is Naima Saeed.

She her pronouns, World Five Counselor, and your traffic and parking chair.

I would like to call to order today's traffic and parking meeting of the Summer of the City Council.

First, they will read the legal notice that allows us to have this meeting on Zoom.

Pursuant to chapter two of the Acts of 2023, this meeting of the City Council Committee will be conducted via remote participation.

We will post an audio video recording, transcript or other comprehensive record of these proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting on the City of Summer website and local cable access government channels.

Clerk, could you please call the role to establish a quorum?

Yes, I can.

Counselor Wheeler.

Sorry, I'm muted.

Here no worries, gotcha.

Counselor Ba.

Present, please.

Great.

Chair Sae.

Here.

All right, with that, everyone is here, so we do have a quorum.

Okay, great.

We will start um by approving the minutes from the previous meeting on the minutes.

Any discussion?

See none.

Claire, could you please call the roll for approval of the minutes?

Yes.

And to confirm, would you like to take these both up together?

Yes, both minutes, please.

One and two.

Great.

So this is approval of the minutes.

Items number ID 26-0854 and ID number 26-0939.

Counselor Wheeler.

Here, uh, yes.

Counselor and Bob.

Yes.

Cheers.

Yes.

All right, with that does all votes in favor of approving the minutes.

Okay, great.

Uh so just make sure.

Uh okay.

So we have uh director Rossin in attendance, but as uh right now showing under attendees.

Can we uh promote him?

Okay, perfect.

Thank you.

Okay, we will um take up item number five first, and then follow the order of the agenda if there's no objection from uh the committee members.

Um and uh item five clerk, could you please read item five for us?

Item five, idea number 26 slash one for two of some for discussion by council.

And especially in the morning when students and families are walking to school.

Thank you, Clerk.

Uh, we're taking up this item out of order uh because we uh need both um, yeah, we need a speedy to speak to this.

Um, I think just a speedy, yeah.

All right.

So we have here Sergeant McCarey to speak to the item.

Uh thank you, Chair.

Um, so what we've done with this is we've added it to our uh standing locations that the traffic unit will patrol throughout their day, uh, especially focusing on the morning that uh was requested.

Also, the officers that normally patrol the area uh are uh aware of the request uh and they'll cycle through there as well.

Uh usually we do this for a minimum of four weeks, about a month.

Um, collecting the data uh to see uh uh if continuation is warranted and to see if the numbers of any infractions that we're seeing are uh being reduced.

Uh okay, thank you.

Um yeah, before opening it up to question uh director Rossin, do you have anything to add to this?

Or chair, um, good evening to you and the committee.

Uh my name is Brad Ross, and I serve as Director of Mobility Mobility Division has spoken with the ward counselor, and we're glad that Sergeant McCarry and SPD are here.

Um so nothing to add uh to the sergeant's points.

Okay, thank you, Director.

I know this uh specifically is asking uh for SPD to do more enforcement so to make sure if there's anything to be added.

Um yeah, thank you, Sergeant McCarey.

Are there any questions from uh my colleagues?

Um in general, I'm curious about how the police department uh sort of continually assesses the need for enforcement in different places.

And Sergeant McCarey, you you sort of alluded to that about uh the way that this will be approached is with some attention to are there infractions, you know, does it sort of merit extended attention?

Um I'm just I'm curious if uh if there's an ongoing way that the department is kind of looking at the frequency of of issues in different places and deciding where to direct enforcement attention.

Thank you.

And uh through the chair, uh usually what ends up happening uh is as requests come in um from either uh constituents, uh counselors, um you know, the different boards you know throughout the city, we'll put them on uh a list of high priority uh and we'll dedicate uh specific time for those uh to go out and do kind of targeted uh enforcement in those areas.

Uh and as I said, usually about three to four weeks at a time.

We kind of see how many infractions we're getting um you know in the beginning, and then we'll compare those to what we're getting you know at the end of that cycle.

Uh and if uh the infractions aren't decreasing at a favorable uh pattern, usually that's when we'll increase the duration of time that we're at a certain location.

Uh also uh as our officers drive around the city, they'll see uh areas where they feel that need additional uh resources dedicated, and they'll uh voice that to the traffic department and to the other officers.

Um we'll add that to our areas of concern.

Along with that, there is a quarterly uh traffic review internal to the department uh where statistical data is collected.

Um hot spots based on citation data.

Um accidents and requests are uh kind of put before the administration and the traffic unit.

Uh hot spots are added to the list as well.

Thank you, Chair.

Hope that answers the question.

Thanks.

Thanks, it does.

And just as a follow-up, is it possible for us to see the list that the department sort of currently has about you know the the areas that they are focusing on or have focused on?

I can send that out.

I could also send out our statistical data.

Um that's created um, like I said, quarterly.

Um it's not something we usually just send out, but uh you know, with the request, um absolutely.

Thanks so much.

I appreciate that.

Thank you, Chair.

Chair, if I may.

Yeah.

Uh also uh we use the 311 system.

Um to uh you know, track uh areas of concern.

I don't want to call them complaints, but areas of concern that citizens have.

Um I also encourage uh any of the counselors uh or uh any of the other city members to uh utilize that system.

Uh that's one of the uh the ways that we do track these um you know track the requests that are coming in.

Thanks, Chair.

Yeah, thank you.

Uh Council Mbaugh.

Uh thank you, Chair.

Uh is this uh Sergeant Macari or what is like those of the uh sorry for not introducing myself.

Yeah, Sergeant McCarey.

Uh I'm a member of the uh traffic unit uh within the department.

I oversee several uh traffic officers whose main focus is um uh hot spots for uh for traffic uh enforcement requests and uh and the grant and the uh the traffic grants that we we operate.

Gotcha.

No, thank thank you, Sergeant.

And uh good to see you, Dr.

Austin.

Uh so uh and thank you for that info that you sent to me about about what I asked.

Um I guess you know, so uh Sergeant, would you say Teal Square is you know is among those hot spots or like you know, it's would you is that part of your understanding?

Thank you, and through the chair.

Uh in general, um Teal Square classically hasn't had a higher instance of non-compliance than uh similar squares in the city.

Uh so I I wouldn't pick it out as a um uh as a hot spot in general.

Uh usually when the request for um specific enforcement comes in.

Um let me phrase that uh for teal square.

It's only because the you know specific request has come in that we will dedicate um specific resources towards it.

Uh like I said, in in general, the officers um kind of patrol the area.

Uh the locations like Teal Square, they will sit in uh periodically.

Um, but there are there are other areas in the city where there are higher instances of non-compliance.

Um so to answer your question, uh no, it's not really on our radar.

Um, but now that we've been informed that it's an area of concern, we will dedicate some resources.

Gotcha.

Thank you.

Thank you, Sergeant.

And then uh, you know, regarding your uh, you know, like kind of you know uh data collection methodology, where does near misses fit into that data pool?

Um uh thank you, counselor.

Could you just expand on that a little bit?

So you're missing.

Yeah, you know how sometimes you know if something happens.

Counselor Mba, can I just interrupt?

Uh I'm sorry, I have been trying to do this while you're asking your questions.

Uh it's just director in front did not get the link.

Um, if we can just send the link while we're having this conversation.

Um, bah.

No, no, no worries.

Chair, so you who needs the link?

Uh director inference, Suzanne Rinfrey.

Thank you.

Yeah, Council Mba.

Go ahead.

Yeah, oh thank you, Chair.

Uh no, Sergeant uh Mackay.

I just you know how sometimes you know there's like traditional way of collecting data, you know, there's an in it, but the near miss is where somebody, you know, miss being hit in someone, you know, it's like there's like all this because you're trying to use preventive approach because you don't want design by disaster, you know.

Yes, they are collecting data of like uh, you know, like traffic violation, crash, you know, and all what not, but this is we don't want even that.

We're trying to like prevent that.

So I'm wondering, like, you know, like those because I've actually seen like in the means, like North Street and and part of the house, like it's part of the house is perpendicular to North Street.

And I've seen how a car just ran through, almost run over a crossing guard.

So how do you what is like how do you record that, you know, to be able to like factor you know how much you can analyze your data pool.

Uh thank you, counselor.

In to the chair.

Usually those come in through the 311 system where constituents will see something happening and they'll uh inform us of an area of concern like a near miss, uh, you know, with a pedestrian, a bicycle, uh, or even uh car accidents.

Um, and then that will trigger us to as I said, spend some some time examining that area.

So um, you know, we use that um we use that system uh to kind of collect that.

Uh there's I mean, there's not really a specific system that's used to track those.

Um so it would be the 311 system um, you know, for uh uh you know identifying those near misses and then the institutional knowledge of the officers.

Thank you.

Thank you, Sergeant.

Thank you, Madame Chair.

Thank you, Councillor Wheeler.

Uh through the chair, Sergeant, just to follow on my colleague uh counselor and baz question.

If uh an officer were stationed at a location looking out for infractions, and there were a near miss where a driver had the light, but say was uh was starting when somebody was starting into the crosswalk and didn't stop, or if there were someone who was crossing where there isn't a crosswalk and the driver came close to hitting them.

Are those incidents that would be logged and sort of counted towards the need for for further enforcement and attention at that intersection?

Or would those kind of not really have any category to go into?

Thank you, and through the chair.

Uh uh those kind of separated into two categories.

So the uh when officers are out looking at a certain area, uh, they're pretty aggressive.

Um I guess limit for um what's passable uh is pretty low because you know that we're we're using the high visibility enforcement to deter non-compliance.

Uh so near misses that do have an actual sightable um uh event, you know, where the officer uh does have the authority to cite as you had said, someone uh you know comes up to the crosswalk and the car may not have seen them, you know, but there's but there was the opportunity for them to stop and it's kind of right on the cusp of you know, is it a good stop?

Is it not?

They'll usually perform the stop uh and give out a warning in that case.

Uh your other question.

Um if it's uh an incident where the officer doesn't have the jurisdictional authority to make a stop, um there like there really isn't a good vehicle aside from officer to officer, as I said, the internal institutional knowledge, you know, the officers sharing that information um in knowing their area.

Um, there really is a good vehicle for uh recording that.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you, colleagues.

Thank you for the questions, and thank you, uh Sergeant McCarry for um all the responses.

Um we can mark this item as completed.

Oh, Chair, I'm seeing a hand from Director Rossin.

Oh, yeah, Director Ross.

Chair, thanks.

I just wanted to quickly acknowledge the importance of this discussion and these questions.

Thanks, Sergeant McCarry and the team for being here and thank counselors for their questions.

Um of the things that this committee has discussed over the years, Chair, is that compliance, meaning motorists actually stopping when signalized or stop controlled intersections call for them to do so, or at mid-block crosswalks where a state law is to yield to a pedestrian and a crosswalk.

Those compliance rates have been shown to increase when slower vehicle speeds are observed.

And it kind of makes sense when you think about it, right?

The faster that somebody's driving, the less reaction time that they have, the more likely they are to continue driving aggressively.

And so I think the dialogue here just needs to always reorient itself to the importance of speed control.

I know this committee, SPD, many of our departments are working together on traffic calming, particularly on higher risk arterial streets.

Um SPD has done a great job of publishing open data on the city's open data portal.

And so counselors and constituents who want to follow up on this type of dialogue can find our open data portal with a really cool interactive map.

Um, and as always, we we invite constituent counselor feedback on SPD mobility engineering parking are constantly working to identify these hot spots and get ahead of things rather than be reactive.

So again, I really appreciate the spirit of his questions in this dialogue.

Thank you so thank you for adding that uh director um again we'll mark the item five as um completed and we'll um move to item number three uh clerk could you please read item number three and thank you director ringfrit has joined us right item number three ID number 261021 sent for discussion by counselor Hart that the director of mobility install additional signage and the chief of police increase enforcement to ensure compliance with the one-way traffic direction on Whitfield Road.

Thank you yeah directly sure if I may perhaps I can kind of frame things and then invite Director Renfrit and Sergeant McCarry to chime in from their perspectives as well.

I've spoken with the Ward 7 counselor on this issue.

The counselor has relayed constituent concerns about wrong way driving um there's a hypothesis that the residents and the counselor are offering up which is that they tend to see this behavior a little bit more frequently in the fall season after move-ins and during kind of university uh session um and I think that this might be consistent with what many of us have observed over the years is that often wrong way driving is not just cut through traffic going from the end of the street to the end of the street it's somebody who lives on that street and starting and making a very intentional decision to drive the wrong way to save themselves time at the risk of everybody else's safety.

So I just wanted to make sure that the committee knew that counselor Hart has relayed this concern.

Staff have spoken with her on parking and SPD mobility and engineering can follow up thank you director uh director I thank you through the chair um so we did go out and look at this location to ensure that the signage is properly posted and there is properly posted signage for this for this and as as director rosson said stated many times it's it's familiarity or or the fact that people just want to make it easy on themselves to come the wrong way so um people usually that live on the street we've seen this behavior in other areas of the city but it is part it is posted correctly uh yeah thank you director um yeah counselor Hart did reach out to me today um so the res one of the residents or the constituents was say we was saying that they went to look at the street and there's no do not enter and there's one do not enter and one way sign at the court's end of the street or the street seems to have do not enter and one way signs on both sides of the street rather than just one yeah so with this additional information do we yeah it's the uh I guess the uh yeah is this are all streets like this having both sides in both uh sides or uh what's the good practice here okay I I do have some pictures one moment let me just go through my emails real quick um okay some attachments so I see it do not enter and we have five attachments here I'm sorry no worries take your time I'm gonna see if I can forward do this no director if you say that these signs exist on both sides of the street we're good uh I just want to make sure that these constituent I don't know if they didn't see them both but we're just gonna make sure we have both of these signs on both um so there's only two of the streets so when I sent out my staff um they said they could possibly add one way blade um on this on this um whitfield Whitfield road sign blade at the intersection of Packard um but other than that it looked fine I think that was the that's the concern is just add in the one way sign on the other end.

Okay.

And I will send you what we saw.

Okay.

Okay.

Um, so director, is this something the department can do adding the sign?

Okay, great.

Yeah.

Uh Counselor Wheeler.

Thank you, Chair.

Yeah, it sounds it sounds like we're on the right track here.

Uh, I know Google Maps can be very out of date.

Uh, so uh with a big grain of salt.

Um just sharing the observation that when I look at that Whitfield at Packard intersection, at least on Google Street View.

Um, when the photo was taken, I don't see a one-way sign at that intersection.

Um, so yeah, I it, you know, no matter what the sort of current status is there, uh, the idea of of adding a one-way sign, I think sounds like a good one.

Thank you.

Okay, that's great.

Um, okay.

We like uh, you know, straightforward these solutions.

Uh so thank you to Director Infred for uh having your staff add the sign here, another an additional sign for one-way on one of the end of the streets.

Uh any other questions?

Yeah, clone council and uh thank you, my chair.

Uh another question I'll never miss a good chance to thank Dr.

Renfred for our service to the city.

So thank you, Dr.

Refrey.

Thank you.

Uh thank you.

Uh I believe this is the only item where uh traffic is um uh where Director Rinfred is needed.

Um is that correct, Director Rossin?

Or uh Chair, we always welcome uh Suzanne's professional experience and judgment and contributions here.

However, I think that those two items that the committee has dealt with are the only that have uh a real explicit enforcement lens.

I think the rest of them are more about design.

Item seven is about clear corners, which parking works on with the rest of us.

Um, of course, uh, but I think those the other those two were the only ones that were specifically about signage and enforcement.

Okay, great.

Uh yeah, I just want to make sure, you know, um folks, you know, understand like prepare.

Uh the other thing is that director and fred did not get a link.

So um got the agenda, but not the link.

So if this was not the director was not planning on attending the whole meeting, that's yeah.

Just give me that, you know.

So uh you can prepare accordingly.

And then uh the next item will be item item number four.

Oh, before we do that, let's mark item number three as um item completed.

And then we'll move to item number four.

Could you please read item number four?

Item number four, ID number 26-0837 sent for discussion by counselor McLaughlin.

The director of mobility use urban neighborways art on Perkins Street in front of the playground to increase pedestrian safety.

Uh, thank you, Madam Clerk.

Um, we will uh yeah, Director Rossett to speak to this item.

Sure, Chair, thanks.

And I appreciate this order from Councillor McLaughlin.

Happy to provide a quick update for the committee and then um acknowledge that there will be work ahead.

So as committee members and constituents may be aware, Perkins Street in East Somerville is actually designated as part of the city's official bicycle network plan.

And as committee members know, the bicycle network plan includes two different types of safety treatments.

One is the traditional separated bike lane that we use on higher stress, higher speed uh streets.

The second is a traffic calmed back streets program that we use.

We call neighborways.

And the idea is that you use pavement markings, limited traffic calming, and wayfinding signage to provide alternative routes that connect our residents to useful destinations like schools, parks, transit connections, libraries, senior housing, et cetera.

So Perkin Street and East Somerville is designated as a neighborway on the official Somerville bicycle network plan.

And furthermore, Chair, it's identified on what we call the priority network, which is all of the routes and links that we have recommended for completion by the end of 2030.

So good news for you, Somerville residents and for board counselor who's advocating.

Um we will be working on Perkins Street in the years ahead.

And it will complement some great work that we've done in partnership with Council McLaughlin and many others in the East Somerville neighborhood.

If folks are not familiar, you can you can actually become familiar with these neighborway treatments by looking at Glen Street, which connects the Capuano Early Childhood Education Center up to the East Sunville Community School in East Somerville, or Otis Street, which connects the East Somerville past the Winter Hill at Edgerly and over towards the Oda Street Footbridge on McGrath.

So those routes are complete using movable planters, purple wayfinding signage, share the road markings, and some very specific safety treatments at the intersections with busier streets.

Chair, I will note that neighborways is bigger than public art.

A mural in the street is a wonderful thing and it supports community building.

It occasionally can support traffic calming, but our neighborways toolkit calls for more.

And so again, that's why it's important to reference the work that we've done together on Oda Street and on Glenn Street.

Because parking restrictions occasionally are needed where neighborways beat busier streets.

So what this means is that when we identify a project in our work plan, we typically use a 12 to even 18 month project development process.

Quick build tools are sometimes imagined to be the kind of thing where you flip a switch and you go out and you put a bunch of pavement markings on the street.

And although quick build pavement markings are faster than construction, we remain committed to meaningful community process.

And that's why you still have that 12-month kind of iterative community engagement process where we fly or we speak with folks, where we do workshops, virtual meetings, in-person meetings, pop-ups, set up a website, et cetera.

So I just wanted to provide that background for the committee and for the counselor.

We look forward to working on Perkin Street and really building out that East Somerville Neighborways Network.

But at this time, we do not have a specific start date for the community engagement for the design development.

Please know that we intend to complete it by the end of 2030.

Happy to answer any questions.

Yeah, thank you, Director Ross.

And uh, Council Mbaugh.

Yeah, uh, thank you, Chair.

I mean, there's the rest.

I'm just curious.

Thank you.

You know, I mean, like you're like one of the engines, man, behind you know, like uh street safety, you know, uh improvement and stuff.

I guess uh this is just for curiosity, because we are all talking about budget, finance and stuff like that.

What is that?

The estimated cost and maintenance for this kind of stuff.

Um, Chair, through you, thanks for the question, Counselor.

And I'm embarrassed because I just put my physical copy of the bike network plan out of reach.

I will try to pull it up online because we actually were really intentional, counselor.

We included rough estimates in our official Somerville bicycle network plan, uh, not only for the installation costs, but for the maintenance costs over time.

Um, so if I can quickly query it, I can tell you.

Um but again, this is a good question and it has been thought of, and I just don't have those numbers at my fingertips.

Stand by, please, Chair.

Uh-huh.

I found it.

Um chair through you, roughly speaking.

Um, the per mile estimate in the city's official bicycle network plan using 2022 cost estimates and vendor quotes brings us to an all-in costum that includes design, installation, and operations and maintenance of about 250,000 per neighborway mile.

If we just talked about the materials and the installation, it would be about 180,000 per mile.

I hope that's helpful.

Yeah, thank you.

Wow.

Interesting data point.

I mean, we can talk.

You know, I just kind of like I'm just it again because of this, you know, time where we are all everybody's kind of like, you know, uh with the budget constraint and stuff like that.

That's what I'm just curious.

But thank you.

No useful, useful data, Dr.

Rossan.

Thank you, Maranche.

Yeah, thank you.

Uh okay, great.

Uh, any further questions regarding this item.

Okay, no further questions.

Uh, we will mark this item as we're completed, then really glad that this street that's already the plan for the street.

Okay.

Um, and then we'll move to item number six.

Um, Madam Clerk, could you please read item number six?

Yeah.

Item numbers before you read it.

I just wanted to mention that the rest of the items, I think they're all related to mobility.

Sergeant McCary, you're welcome to stay.

But also, if you need to leave, um you can do that.

Yeah, go ahead, Madam Clerk.

Thank you.

And uh thank you for having me.

Uh any time questions come up, um, feel free to uh contact myself or Lieutenant Holland.

He apologizes.

He was not able to attend tonight.

Um, or uh if any of the counselors uh need to put in um uh requests for specific enforcement, the Q alert system is probably the best vehicle.

Um, it's our way of tracking.

Um, or you can contact uh any of the members of the SPD traffic unit um directly.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Thank you for your work, Sergeant.

All right, item number six, ID number 26-0124, sent for discussion by counselors Ewan Campen and Counselor Scott.

That the director of mobility implement colored lane markings for bus and bike lanes on Prospect Street between Webster Avenue and Somerville Avenue.

Uh Director Ross.

Chair through you.

Um again, thank you for the order to Councilor Scott, Counselor Hugh and Campen.

Um, Prospect Street is an important transit corridor.

Um, and staff are feeling the same way that enhanced pavement markings will be a helpful part of an overall strategy to keep buses moving efficiently and safely through that congested area.

Um, as counselors may recall, prospect street between Somerville Avenue and Webster Avenue had uh dedicated bus and bike lane markings installed in 2017, but it actually never received that red carpet.

Um, you know, continuous red pavement marking style that we have since used as our standard uh to try to increase compliance and really be a clear statement of intent that these are spaces for transit vehicles.

Um Prospect Street chair is an important bus transit corridor already, but I want to make sure the committee and our constituents know it's going to be even more important in the near future.

The official MBTA bus network redesign calls for high frequency new route linking East Somerville to Union Square to Inman and to Kendall and actually to Longwood.

It's called the bus Route 47, and it's scheduled for implementation sometime relatively soon.

So the city is working in partnership with the MBTA to actually upgrade the transit priority facilities along the Prospect Street corridor.

Um so we have an active project that will deliver the improvements that the counselors have asked for with this order.

Um our project includes more than pavement markings.

It includes traffic signal upgrades so that we get better live detection and traffic signal overrides to get the bus through those intersections, just like we already use um in many other locations around Somerville.

So that project is underway right now.

Um we've been in contact with Councilor Scott, Counselor Hugh and Campen.

We set up a project website.

Um our staff were out flyering in the neighborhood uh just recently to make sure that folks are aware of this upcoming work.

The implementation schedule chair is currently showing that the pavement markings work could begin in early August.

Um, so we're really excited about this work.

We really feel it's consistent with Somerville's climate plan, um, consistent with our own transportation justice and equity priorities.

Um we know that uh any minute that a bus spends waiting in traffic has the potential to hold up 40 people instead of one person in a single occupant vehicle.

And of course, the time savings then, you know, domino effect throughout the day, uh, and thousands of other people stand to be later as a result.

So we just really take it as a sacred responsibility for the city of Somerville to do what we can with our local streets, our local infrastructure to get MBTA buses through congested intersections like Union Square.

We've already done some of this work in other places, and we look forward to delivering even more of it on a prospect street corridor.

Awesome, great.

Uh great to hear that.

Uh, and it's happening so soon.

I like when you know items really align with mobility's work.

Uh there any questions from colleagues.

Okay, no questions.

Okay.

And we'll move to the next item.

Item number seven.

Madam Click, could you read the item?

Item number seven, ID number 26-0614 sent for discussion by counselors Link and Scott with the director of mobility at the intersection of Durham and Hanson Street to the list of crosswalks that require daylight, daylighting improvements to enhance visibility and pedestrian safety.

Madam Clerk, Director Austin.

Chair, thanks very much.

We also appreciate this order, but our discussion will be a little bit more limited.

This has just come in.

So, Chair, what I can say to the committee is that staff will add this location to our evaluation list.

Um, when we receive questions like this, typically mobility engineering and parking staff will examine a location in question at one of our many regular internal meetings that happen every month.

Um we can update the ward counselor and counselor at large who submitted this order after we review this location.

Um folks may know that just half a block up, we were able to reconstruct an intersection in front of Paul Notchi Playground just about a year ago to improve ADA accessibility, provide some traffic calming benefits with a raised intersection and include um pavement markings and signage to make sure that motorists were not parking illegally and blocking those site lines.

That project was you know a little bit of a one-off in terms of you know its ability to get designed and implemented coming out of ADA work and sidewalk upgrades.

We do not typically have the ability to do clear corners markings in isolated locations.

So we will work with Councillor Scott and Counselor Link to make sure that they and constituents understand those uh the criteria for our clear corners program.

Uh, that typically exists, as you all know, at the corridor scale.

We try to use much larger arterial streets and gain efficiencies with our contractors to go through systematically and apply those clear corners markings.

However, the last thing I'll note, Chair before I invite questions is if residents, counselors, or city departments observe challenges.

Um, Suzanne's team at the parking department will do targeted enforcement and spot checks because motorists are not allowed to park within 20 feet of a crosswalk, even if signage or pavement markings are not in place today.

Um, if larger vehicles and fire apparats are having a hard time making a turn, um fire command staff will often request fire lane markings be installed, and that's another mechanism to deliver those types of site lines and turning radii that I think could be part of this order.

So we'll look forward to following up with the sponsoring counselors, but I hope that's helpful context.

Uh thank you, Director, and thank you for adding that.

I imagine if the counselors submitted this item, it's because we are already there where enforcement needs to happen.

So uh we don't have the director, director uh here, but if you could mention this during your monthly meetings to uh do law enforcement in this area, I think that would be pretty helpful.

Um thank you, Madame Chair.

Uh, thank you, Dr.

Rawson.

I guess uh curious to, you know.

Like no, like the criteria you use, you know, to prioritize intersections, you know, for daylight.

You know, like uh what do you see?

Um, does this run you know, in in that sphere relative to maybe, you know, other requests that you know you see citywide.

Chair through you.

Thanks for the question, counselor.

And I'm sorry, I probably should have explained it a little bit more clearly.

Um, we have resources on a public website um to describe the city's daylighting or clear corners program and the criteria that we use.

Um, it's on the city's traffic calming web page, and there's a little tab called Clear Corners and Daylighting.

Um, so this describes our criteria and our selection process.

Um, and it notes that we do prioritize these higher speed, higher volume, higher risk corridors.

Um, we've done several around the city over the years.

Well, Broadway was the first one.

Um, Summer Street was the second one.

Medford Street was the third one.

This year, Highland Avenue is the priority corridor.

And so that's where we achieve those economies of scale of going through, making sure that we're flying, doing the outreach, speaking with residents and business owners to then implement those um enhanced pavement markings.

And chair, um, I'll just add one more thing, which again is that when we add those pavement markings, we are reinforcing regulations that already exist.

Regardless of whether signs or pavement markings are in place, Mass General Law and Local Ordinance prohibit parking within 20 feet of a marked crosswalk or 30 feet of a signalized intersection.

Um so again, we understand that plenty of folks have been parking or loading within those zones historically, which is part of the reason that we door knock and speak with folks on the street.

Um just wanted to make sure everybody knew that that with those programs are intended to reinforce existing regulations rather than just create new ones.

Okay, great.

Uh there are any further questions on this item.

All right, seeing none.

We'll mark this item as uh completed.

And we'll move to the next item.

Item number eight.

Yeah.

Could you please read?

Yep.

Item number eight, ID number 26-0806, sent for discussion by Chair Say that the director of mobility install a speed bump on Vernon Street.

Yeah, so this is my item.

We can speak to that.

So I um, yeah, so residents have approached me saying that this is uh a concern, you know, like many streets in Somerville.

It's high speed.

And uh I submitted the order and they spoke to you, Director Ross and as you we know there will be a crosswalk on Lowell Street, uh that's closer to uh so the intersection of Lowell and Vernon Street than basically one of the designs that was submitted to Mass DOT is uh crosswalk that'll be very close to Vernon Street.

So uh, and you mentioned that one of our meetings that uh when that crosswalk is constructed, we will there will be in improvement of the intersection of low on Vernon Street.

So it was just wondering if we, as we are looking at this location, if uh this street can be uh studied, then can staff go there and kind of collect data and see if a speed bump is what makes sense.

Um yeah, so we'll yeah, I'd like to hear from you uh here.

Yes, Chair, thank you for sponsoring this order and for engaging with constituents and um asking us to look a little deeper here.

So Verdon Street follows our typical standard operating procedure, which is when we receive constituent or 311 or council or staff observations about uh a safety concern, whether it's speed or volume related.

Often our first step is to go out and commission formal count data to make sure that we can look apples to apples at all of our streets citywide.

As you all know, we have far too much demand for traffic calming related to you know time and money and contractor availability to meet it all.

As a result, we have to work through a prioritization process.

And often that starts with collecting quantitative data.

So we've been able to take that step, counselor, um, on Vernon Street.

Um, I don't have the ability to give you a comprehensive evaluation.

We've got the data, but we haven't run it through our other um criteria to look at apples to apples with all of the other city streets that are in that particular cohort.

Again, our methods are explained on the city's traffic calming web page.

They include speed and volume data, like I've just mentioned, but they also mention include other important criteria.

Um, for example, proximity to schools, parks, senior housing, community path crossings, places of worship, high use transit facilities.

Those things all come into the mix in terms of um prioritizing and recommending streets to then move to the next stage of the evaluation.

Then additional parts of our due diligence process, Chair include interdepartmental review with key partners like DPW, FIRE, MBTA, and others.

Uh, and lastly, it includes um utility engineering review to make sure that we understand the gas companies, city water and sewer have any upcoming construction work.

Um, is our sidewalk and resurfacing and repaving plan going to be at a street anytime soon?

All those things help us understand efficiencies because it actually does take uh several days worth of crew time to go install speed humps.

Um so again, all those criteria are described at our city traffic economic webpage.

Vernon is on the queue list, and within a month or two, chair.

I do hope to have more systematic information for you and for your constituents to know how Vernon could rank against all of the other uh streets in that cohort that are being considered.

Yeah, thank you, Director.

It's always great to hear, you know, what the process is for us, uh, the council, new counselors, but also for our uh for members of the public.

As I said, the intent of this is more so we can take a look at this, what makes sense.

Maybe this is not what maybe you know, we need more than this.

Like again, you are the experts here.

So uh I appreciate you looking into this and um providing us with that data.

And uh any questions from colleagues on this item.

Thank you, Chair.

Just to echo your words.

I appreciate the comprehensive approach that your department's taking to questions like this.

And um, I have a lot of confidence that you'll look at this question uh you know, in a comprehensive light, and it's much appreciated.

Okay, great.

If there are no further questions, oh counselor.

Thank you, Maranch.

You know, I will never miss a chance to give Director Rossin another accolade too.

You know, I appreciate that.

You know, you know, you know, it's like um I see you every morning.

We don't say thank you enough, but I appreciate the work you do.

Well, Chair, let me just hold the mirror up to our partners on the city council.

Uh it takes a village and you all are part of our team.

So thank you so much.

Okay, great.

Uh, all right, we'll mark this item as we're completed, and we'll move to the next item.

Item number nine, madam clerk.

Item number nine, ID number 26-0822 sent for discussion by counselors and bot and heart that the director of mobility install speed bumps on Elmwood Street and assess whether closing the street to non-residents during rush hours would be possible and useful to reduce the cut-through traffic to and from Cameron Avenue.

Chair, I'm happy to speak to this one as well.

It will be very, very similar to our Vernon Street discussion a moment ago.

Um, I have connected with the ward counselor um and provided some of the background on our traffic calming program.

We understand that constituents on Elmwood have expressed concerns that traffic calming on Cameron, one block over, uh, may be motivating some drivers to you know, in my opinion, inappropriately cut through a private way called Tannery Brook Row and access Elmwood as a bypass.

Um, and as we all know, in this era of navigation apps, these things do happen.

Um, so regardless of the origin story here, Elmwood is on our evaluation list.

Data have been collected.

Um, we've begun the preliminary analysis, like Vernon Street.

We have not completed that analysis, nor have we stacked up Elmwood against all of the other competing streets.

Um, but we are taking these uh concerns seriously, and we'll look forward to providing more information as soon as we're able to find the staff time to do it right.

Yeah, thank you, Mr.

Dr.

Rossin.

As as the primary maker of this uh policy order, you know, and as you didn't connect with me, like I'm checking my email as soon as you said that.

I'm like, did I miss any email from Director Ross?

So I guess you know, this is the one that uh you know, um, this is my neighborhood too, you know.

It's like a neighborhood that I've had a when I mean I've lived how many years I so I go around a lot.

I know my people and I see them regularly.

And I guess the point I'm making here is it's uh I did not hear just from one constituent.

So usually when you have this critical mass of people into an issue, you know.

I don't, you know, all those, you know, uh procedura, like the bureaucratic process has to, you know, because you want to prevent something from happening.

So uh I guess where I'm getting at is like I want to close this item, and I don't want to us having this just talking points and then nothing changes, and then tomorrow again I'm gonna walk because literally I'm gonna go down there again to see another friend that leaves on MW Street.

I don't want to give you anything because I was excited that oh, the the item is coming before the traffic and parking.

I need like some concrete stuff to tell them and not to say, oh, this is under evaluation, chair.

Through you, counselor, please accept my apologies.

I was corresponding with the wards counselor on a few different items, and I failed to actually open up the order and make sure that I realize that the counselors at large could be co-sponsoring.

I apologize.

I've just forwarded that to you for your records.

No audits.

So can you give me like a timeline for this?

Yes, chair through you.

Um, so staff will be reviewing all of the data for Elmwood and Vernon and a couple dozen other streets that are in our queue.

We expect that work to be happening in July, not June.

We hope to provide public updates on the next couple of years worth of traffic calming priorities in the late summer.

Amazing.

Typically, we try to do that in the spring, and we're tracking behind.

We've had two key members of our team out on family leave with new babies, new healthy babies, and they're transitioning back to the workforce uh quite soon.

So we're super excited to be back in full capacity quite soon.

Amazing.

Thank you.

And Madame Chair, I'm happy to I don't want to have to resubmit this.

That's all I'm done.

So you cut off there for a second.

So you're happy with us marking the work as completed.

Yes, and just uh you know, put it on record that I don't want to have to resubmit it again after July because there wasn't any momentum or tangible, you know, uh uh solution to like what the problem raised.

Thank you.

Yeah, thank you, counselor.

Um, we'll work this, we'll mark this uh item as we're completed, then we'll move to the next item.

Item number 10.

Yeah, the item number 10 round.

All right, last item in the evening item number 10, ID number 26-0840, sent for discussion by counselors Link and you and Kempen.

That the director of mobility evaluate the feasibility of implementing a raised intersection or crosswalk at the intersection of Columbus Avenue, Prospect Hill Parkway, and Stone Avenue, and report findings to the city council.

Okay, so chair through you.

Thanks for this order.

Um, staff appreciate it.

Um, I was out walking in this neighborhood just over the long weekend and looking at this site.

Um interdepartmental staff have not done a technical review.

This is a very tricky location, as many counselors and constituents know with the steep hills of Prospect Hill uh coming down to meet Columbus.

Um, so grades, sight lines, and cut through traffic or all challenges that we've heard about from constituents and from counselors over the years.

Um a more detailed evaluation has not yet taken place.

Um, but I think engineering, parking, mobility, and others uh will be looking at this over the summer.

So we don't have any detailed information at this time.

Just wanted to acknowledge receipt and let uh counselors know that we'll be looking into this location.

Okay, thank you for this update.

Uh counselor.

Thank you, Chair.

Um, I just wanted to add here, and uh Director Ross, and I I think you and I have talked about this, and I imagine you've talked to some of the word counselors um about all the complications of this intersection and the the tenancy in particular for people uh not to realize that part of Columbus Heath is two-way and part is one way.

Um, so you know, I know there's there's a lot of different pieces of the puzzle there, and you know, I just want to encourage you to you know be looking as holistically as possible at the at the overall traffic conditions there.

Chair through you, thanks, counselor.

Yes, uh signage review as we discussed with Whitfield Road earlier.

Um this evening will be part of that evaluation.

Counselor Mba.

Thank you, Madame Chair.

I just want to thank Dr.

Rossman for his multi uh how do you multitasking skills?

You know, it's like while he was talking, he was also sending me an email.

So I have gotten your email.

I appreciate that.

Thank you.

We all miss it seeing one another face to face.

Um, but but it appreciates the ability to do that while we meet.

Okay, great.

Um, yeah, if there are no further questions on this uh last item, we'll mark this item as we're completed, and that brings us to the end of the agenda.

Um, yeah, so this was uh a good meeting, you know, mix of like really good updates, things are happening very soon, and things that uh you know need more evaluation and uh more of uh staff's attention.

Um yeah, so again, um let me just double check that we marked all the items with Madam Clerk, and we approved the minutes.

All right, that brings us to the end of our meeting, Madam Clerk.

Could you please call the roll for adjournment?

All right, on adjournment, counselor Wheeler, yes, Counselor Mbapp.

Yes, please, Chair C.

Yes, all right.

With that, it is 7 05 p.m.

and we are adjourned.

Thanks everyone, have a good evening.

Thanks all.

Thank you all.

Thank you.