By Nate Leskovic
Times Staff
6/5/08

(previous)
The new design is also intended to discourage commuters to Boston from using the town as a cut-through. The road returns to two lanes at Emerson Road.
If a one-month trial goes well, the new lane setup will be made permanent with a raised median in July, says Heller. Lines and barrels currently mark it.
Gail Driscoll, who lives on Granite Avenue, is concerned the change will result in a bottleneck in front of her house that could backup to East Milton Square and the Granite Avenue I-93 exit. She also thinks it will encourage drivers to use the side streets as a cut through.
“It seems like a foolhardy thing to do,” she says about the road change. “I think that anyone with children that bought a house, (thinking it was) a quiet residential street, is not going to be happy.”
Residents are planning a petition drive to oppose the project.
Driscoll is upset about the public process involved in the traffic change and says there was not enough public notification before it began. At the public meeting in March, only two neighbors—including her—showed up. Both opposed the project and it appeared it would not go forward.
However, Heller says he then sent a letter to 14 abutting homes asking for opinions. He says 10 responses were in favor, three against, and one was undecided. Heller decided to go ahead with the project.
Heller says only abutting neighbors were notified because traffic consultants say the change will only affect Granite Avenue.
The consultants say traffic will not backup any further than the queue already present during the morning rush hour because the street returns to two lanes after one block. Drivers are not expected to use the side streets because they are only one lane wide.
“We’re well aware of people’s concerns,” he says. “But they are just worried that it’s going to happen. They haven’t stated that it has happened.”
Heller says the shoulder of the street may be adjusted to ensure traffic isn’t blocked at bus stops and during garbage pickup.