SAUGUS Vol. 22, No. 2 -FREESHS Sachems sports coverage - See pages 12 & 13 ADVOCATE www.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday “For a safer Saugus” Selectmen vote to reduce speed limit to 25 mph on Essex and Main Streets and Lincoln Avenue By Mark E. Vogler B oard of Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta told residents attending a public hearing Wednesday night on a proposal to lower the speed limit on several well-traveled Saugus roads that she’s on their side. “We’re all citizens for a safer Saugus,” Panetta reassured the crowd. “We all believe in the cause,” she added. After hearing testimony from 18 speakers – most of them expressing support for a measure to reduce the speed limit to 25 miles per hour within three major Saugus streets – Panetta and her colleagues voted 4-0 to back the proposal initiated by the Board’s Vice Chair, Jeffrey Cicolini. Interim Saugus Police Chief Ronald Giorgetti – the leadoff speaker – said he believes the existing speed limits for Essex Street, Main Street and Lincoln Avenue “are appropriately set.” Cicolini, who has also recommended a 25 miles per hour speed limit for Central Street (which is set for a public hearing at the Board’s Jan. 23 meeting), said he respected the opinion of the Police Department. But, he added, he was going by his “gut” feeling that it is important to lower the speed limit on the town’s four major roads. Cicolini noted the four roads always seemed to be “filled with cars going beyond A town-wide speed limit analysis recently commissioned by Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree could focus on up to nine primary road corridors in Saugus where new regulations could be considered. The Engineering Corp (TEC) THE GAME PLAN: A key part of Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree’s strategy for addressing pedestrian and traffic safety issues in Saugus is the hiring of a consultant to conduct a town-wide speed limit analysis. (Saugus Advocate Photo by Mark E. Vogler) reasonable speed.” “A top priority” Many residents have expressed their views to selectmen through letters, emails and phone calls calling on officials to lower the speed limits, according to Panetta. “The safety of our residents and visitors within our town is a top priority for the Board of Selectmen and the Town Manager [Scott C. Crabtree] and his administration,” Panetta said. “This board has taken the traffic situation very seriously, and has asked our Town Manager to work with the police to try to arrive at solutions to alleviate this issue,” she said. Panetta, Cicolini and Selectmen Jennifer D’Eon and Mark Mitchell all praised the residents who turned out at Wednesday night’s hearing. “We have a common desire for a safer Saugus,” Cicolini said. “If it saves one life, it’s worth it,” he said. D’Eon said she was thankful to see the turnout out at the public hearing. “I’m so proud to be from Saugus,” she said. Mitchell said he was impressed by the level of public discussion. “People have a lot of great ideas,” he said. Panetta said the board is committed to supporting the contributions of town residents, particularly the group SAFER SAUGUS | SEE PAGE 7 ~ Home of the Week ~ Saugus.....Charming 3 bedroom Raised Cape offers 6 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 1 full bath, spacious fi replace living room with hardwood fl oors, eat-in kitchen, fi nished second fl oor with 3rd bedroom with electric heat, family room in lower level, one car garage under, off street parking, newer roof, great deck for entertaining, private back yard, located on a side street. Off ered at $369,900. O 335 Central Street, Saugus, MA 01906 (781) 233-7300 View the interior of this home right on your smartphone. View all our listings at: CarpenitoRealEstate.com of Andover identified Essex Street (East of Route 1), Main Street, Water Street, Hamilton Street, Lincoln Avenue, Central Street and up to three additional roadways that are identified by town stakeholders during an initial meeting, according to a project narrative presented to the town. “TEC will determine the safe speed range for each study area roadway based upon the data collected, including the trial runs, recorded speeds, crash history, and geometry,” the report says. The consultant group is expected to provide a draft report to the town detailing the current speed limit inventory and current regulations and outlining the results of the data collection and analysis while providing recommendations for speed limits throughout town. “The safety of our residents and visitors within our Town has always been and will continue to be a top priority to this administration and Board of Selectmen,” Town Manager Crabtree said in a statement this week announcing his decision to hire TEC for the study. “With this comprehensive Town-wide speed limit analysis and corresponding traffic safety improvement plan, we aim to increase protection and peace of mind for walkers and drivers within our community 781-233-4446 Friday, January 11, 2019 Safety report due this spring on town-wide speed limit analysis By Mark E. Vogler through a consistent, uniform approach,” he said. The study will cost the town up to $39,000, which will be paid for by grant money, according to Crabtree. If the Saugus Police Department assists in the radar gun data collection, cost of the study could be reduced by $7,000. A draft report would be available by March 29, with April 19 as the target completion date of the final report. The timeline for the report appears to provide Crabtree and other town officials time to prepare budget recommendations for the Annual Town Meeting, which convenes in May. “We will work closely with municipal staff to address speeding and traffic congestion by providing recommendations for improving safe and efficient traffic flow such as speed reduction markings, speed humps, signage, street flow conversion, removing bump outs and flashing beacons at crosswalks,” the TEC report notes. TEC has worked on more than 10 traffic and transportation engineering projects for both private and public clients in Saugus since 2006. The project narrative notes that the study offers opportunities for the town to: • Bring all regulatory speed signage into compliance with state and federal standards; • Create areas with regulatory slower speeds near high pedestrian volume areas, such as local schools; • Provide warning signage SAFETY REPORT | SEE PAGE 8 ANGELO’S "Over 40 Years of Excellence!" 1978-2019 Regular Unleaded $2.299 Mid Unleaded $2.699 Super $2.759 Diesel Fuel $2.899 KERO $4.259 Diesel $2.849 FULL SERVE HEATING OIL 24-Hour Burner Service Call for Current Price! (125—gallon minimum) Open an account and order online at: www.angelosoil.com (781) 231-3500 (781) 231-3003 367 LINCOLN AVE • SAUGUS • OPEN 7 DAYS Prices subject to change FLEET
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