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The art of traffic calming in Roslindale Square
By adamg on Thu, 09/06/2018 - 9:53am
The city didn't just decide to put up random plastic stanchions in the square for the heck of it. Walk Up Roslindale explains how the stick things and new markings are an attempt to "calm" traffic, to make drivers go slower, to make the roads safer for pedestrians and bicyclists - and the drivers themselves.
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Comments
Plows!!
Those plastic things won’t make it through the winter.
Typically, they're removable
And ideally they'll be removed before the onset of the first snow storm that requires plowing, and then put back in place come spring.
The damaged ones I've seen across the Boston area have pretty universally been from confused drivers. Unless someone's been plowing Mass Ave in August...
Great job Walk-Up Roslindale
The entire area of Rozzie Square was a race track before the new crosswalks, markings, and plastic poles. I commend them for their hard work - and focus on safety.
Fantastic
We need more of this to make our streets safer.
Agreed
I just wish they could do something that doesn't look so damned awful.
Aesthetics
There are other, more attractive options (also more expensive), but I'll take these for now. Think baby steps: 1) pilot program to prove concept; 2) expansion to other areas; 3) upgrade to nicer and more permanent streetscape.
a raised crosswalk would be great
but I think they can't be used on major roads for snow clearing reasons? Is that true?
No, not true
There are raised sidewalks in both Brookline and Dedham, on streets that are definitely plowed.
Baby Steps
Hopefully it's step towards more permanent materials
The down side however
While crossing Adams Park this afternoon I heard sirens. There was an ambulance trying to get through Roslindale Sq but was stuck by Target headed outbound (southbound). The traffic was gridlocked and the school buses attempting to get into Basile St. for the Sumner School added to the problem.
Then a ladder truck came screaming up Cummins into the Square to also get to the emergency call and they went up the wrong side of the street only to get stuck at Washington and Cummins in the gridlock.
Cars went around Adams Park to clear the way for the fire truck even though most fo them wanted to go down Washington St.
The destination for both the ambulance and fire truck was in the vicinity of Romanos Restaurant. The police approached from Washington coming north from Met Ave.
So while we have traffic calming measures, we also have a serious safety issue in that emergency vehicles on life-saving missions cannot get through there now.
I'm sure many will say that the solution is to have less cars but the fact is that is not going to happen in the short term. The risk that someone will not get medical attention in time or a fire will take more time to get water on it, is now that much more possible.
Safety... yes. But is this a trade for one kind of safety for another?
Welcome to Roslindale
You are clearly brand new here if you think bad traffic in the square between 4-6pm is the result of recent traffic calming measures. It's been a crap shoot for 15+ years.
Shouldn’t be relying on private groups
This is great but when will the city decide people not getting mowed down is worth really taking traffic calming measures across the board not just where a private group ponies up or the one annual slow streets winner bulll?
It’s time we start treating people that almost kill us like they almost killed us. Last week after a car stopped at a crosswalk for my entire family to cross, the third car back went around the stopped cars and accelerated past us. I was already at the yellow line so I fired my hat at the car and startled the guy pretty well. Hoped he’d stop but the clown took off. From now on I’m carrying rocks. Fuck em let’s crack their windows and beat the fuck out of them if they stop. I’m done and if BPD won’t stop assholes from trying to kill us they won’t stop us from fucking them up. Maybe the city council will decide its not a good look to have texting and driving commuters from Dedham getting jumped on Centre Street.