Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, March 1, 2019 LIMITS | from page 1 ing anybody’s time,” Brown said yesterday. “We’re just trying to bring a serious situation to the light of day. We’re averaging two fatalities a year – whether traffic accidents or pedestrians – and there’s been a 25 percent increase in accidents over the last three years,” he said. “So, the Town of Saugus and the people of Saugus ought to take this a little more serious. We’re pretty disappointed with the ruling of the DOT and the town should have realized it needed more documentation to pass it onto the DOT. The town didn’t have all its ducks in a row,” he said. “And hopefully the ongoing study will be what we need to get these four roads down to a 25 MPH speed limit. We’re hoping that the ongoing study will help provide the data to submit for the four roads,” he said. At this point, it’s not clear whether selectmen will seek the documentation that MassDOT is requiring to justify their request to lower the speed limit. Meanwhile, it’s possible that documentation could come from the ongoing town-wide speed limit analysis commissioned by Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree, which could focus on up to nine primary road corridors in Saugus where new regulations could be considered. The Engineering Corp. (TEC) of Andover has identified Essex Street (east of Route 1), Main Street, Water Street, Hamilton Street, Lincoln Avenue and Central Street and will include up to three additional roadways to be identified by town stakeholders during an upcoming meeting this spring. “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 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. 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. After hearing testimony from 18 speakers at their Jan. 9 meeting – many of them backing a reduced speed limit – selectmen voted to adopt special speed regulations: 25 MPH on Lincoln Avenue beginning at the Saugus-Revere line northerly .29 miles (remains at 20 MPH .33 miles); 1.29 miles at 25 MPH ending at the Saugus-Lynn line. 25 MPH on Lincoln Avenue beginning at the Lynn-Saugus southerly line 1.29 miles (remains at 20 MPH .33 miles); .29 miles at 25 MPH ending at the Saugus-Revere line. 25 MPH on Main Street easterly from the Saugus-Wakefield line, past the State Highway (.08 miles before the center rotary will remain at 20 MPH) 25 MPH on Main Street westerly from the Saugus Center Rotary to the Saugus-Wakefield line, and 25 MPH on entire length of Essex Street. In supporting the speed limit changes, selectmen went against the recommendation of Interim Saugus Police Chief Ronald Giorgetti, who said he believes the existing speed limits for Essex Street, Main Street and Lincoln Avenue “are appropriately set.” The board’s vice chair, Jeffrey Cicolini, said he respects 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 three roads – in addition to Central Street, which selectmen voted in late January to reduce the speed limit to 25 MPH – always seem to be “filled with cars going beyond reasonable speed.” What you need to request speed zoning Any city or town that wishes to establish a new or modify an existing special speed regulation should follow the detailed process found in the MassDOT Procedures for Speed Zoning. As a part of this request, the municipality is required to submit the following information to their local MassDOT District Office as a part of the engineering study: Preliminary Study of Conditions Speed Calculations on Curves Speed Observations Recent Crash History Trial Runs at Location Massachusetts General Laws (MGL), Chapter 90, Section 17C defines a thickly settled or business district as “the territory contiguous to any way which is built up with structures devoted to business, or the territory Obituary Anthony “Frag” “Fridge” Fragione Jr. ing Friday at Main Street entrance. Interment will be Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden. Donations in Anthony’s memory may be made to the Animal Rescue League, 10 Chandler Street, Boston, MA 02116. He worked in the Facility Maintenance Department for the city of Everett for 14 years. Anthony will be dearly missed by all who knew him. O f Saugus, formerly of Everett on February 25. Beloved husband of Cheryl (Cassidy) Fragione. Son of Anthony Fragione Sr and Linda (Kendrick). Loving brother of Andrea Fragione and her fiancée Heath Stewart and Angela Costello and her husband Anthony. He is survived by his loving niece Sarah Stewart and nephew Marshall Stewart. He leaves his beloved dogs Bailey and Jackson. Funeral from the Salvatore Rocco and Sons Funeral Home, 331 Main Street, Everett on Saturday, March 2 at 9 AM. Funeral Mass at St Anthony Church, Everett at 10 AM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Visiting hours are Friday only 4-8 PM. Complimentary Valet Parkcontiguous to any way where dwelling houses are situated at such distances as will average less than two hundred feet between them for a distance of a quarter of a mile or over.” Please note that statutory speed limits only exist in the absence of special speed regulations. If a special speed regulation exists, that posted speed limit will always supersede a statutory speed limit within a thickly settled or business district. MassDOT recommends that if a municipality opts-in to MGL c. 90 § 17C, that it does so on a city- or town-wide basis to avoid potential confusion for drivers. However, cities and towns do have the option to opt-in on a street-by-street Arcangelo “Angelo” Ciampa O f Saugus, formerly of East Boston, age 84, February 21. Loving husband of Anna (Rossetti) Ciampa, with whom he shared 63 years of marriage. Beloved father of Carmen Ciampa & his wife Claudia and the late Joseph & Anthony Ciampa. Fatherin- law of Maria Ciampa of Saugus. Cherished grandfather of Anthony Ciampa & his wife Marilena, Franco Ciampa, Marco Ciampa, A.J. Ciampa, Kristine Costa & 4 greatgrandchildren. Dear brother of Joe Ciampa & the late Vincenzo Ciampa, Anna Maria Orlando, Sylvia DiChiara. basis. Once a municipality has opted-in to MGL c. 90 § 17C, it is required to notify MassDOT. Section 193 of Chapter 218 of the Acts of 2016 allows cities or towns to opt-in to c. 90, § 17C of the MGL, setting the reasonable and proper speed on municipally owned streets within thickly settled or business districts at 25 MPH. This may apply to any or all city or town ways that do not have existing special speed regulations. Notification is required if and when these speed limits are established. Cities and towns have the option to opt-in to MGL c. 90 § 17C, reducing the statutory speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph in thickly settled or business districts.
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