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SPENCER – A proposed agreement with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT) to put four-way stop sign control on Meadow Road at Pleasant Street sparked debate at a recent Board of Selectmen’s meeting.
Superintendent of Utilities & Facilities Pete Boria explained that Mass DOT funded and hired an engineering firm to do an analysis of the area and come up with an improvement plan. The result is a proposal to change from a two way stop to a four way stop. The analysis considered traffic counts and accident volumes.
Boria said Mass DOT would pay for all the materials, while the town would be responsible for installation of signs in conjunction with the ongoing Meadow Road paving project.
Standard, LED-enhanced signs would be used, Boria said.
Selectman Jonathan Viner asked if the town would be under any obligation to maintain the signs for a certain period of time and whether there is a penalty to remove them.
He said, “Traffic control is never 100% positive action. It’s always a balancing act.”
He added that installing a four-way sign setup could cause new issues at that intersection.
“I think it is manageable the way it is. Perceived issues are more speed enforcement than a defect with the nature of traffic control devices there,” Viner noted.
Selectman Gary Woodbury agreed, noting most accidents happen on side streets coming off Meadow Road. He said it could cause more traffic and problems on Smithville Cross Road and Eagleton as motorists try to circumvent backups.
Chair Jared Grigg noted the board has received a lot of complaints about Meadow Road, with people asking for stop signs. While acknowledging “change doesn’t go well,” he suggested they try the new four-way scenario and remove the signs if it is not working.
Town Administrator Jeff Bridges said the agreement states the town must maintain the signs “through their useful life,” and any removal would first be subject to an evaluation.
Boria said the reason they have gotten to this point with MassDot is because of residents’ complaints. “If this will make it safer at that intersection, it’s worth a shot,” he said.
Woodbury said a four-way sign scenario would be dangerous, using the example of a truck with 40,000 pounds of gravel having to come to an unexpected halt.
Selectman Ralph Hicks said something must to be done at the intersection to address the complaints. He said Police Chief Mike Befford “has done more to control speeding than any other chief.”
Hicks added he is confident the police chief will continue to monitor speeds on Meadow Road.
“We can’t not do something because someone might do something else,” Hicks said. “Sitting on our hands is not going to accomplish anything at all.”
Befford stated operator error, rather than signage was the problem on that road so Woodbury said they should rely on his opinion.
Adding more signs would result in more rear-end accidents northbound and southbound, according to Viner, particularly if there is an above average number of cars lined up and waiting. Resources would be better spent devoted to speeding enforcement, he said.
When the road improvements are finished, the speed limit will become 55 mph “in everyone’s mind,” according to Woodbury. He said he would rather see re-paving on route 31 north done first, before trying to tackle this intersection.
“We’re going to hear a lot of screaming with two major things happening.”
Hicks warned that the state would think the town is “the boy that cried wolf…We asked for expertise, they gave it to us and are willing to pay for it and we say `no thank you’?”
He said the next time Spencer asks MassDOT for help in this area, they might respond, “We’re a little busy right now…We can’t get to it until five years from now.”
“All of a sudden, we’re Monday morning quarter backing what the experts are saying,” Hicks added.
Some members were in favor of delaying a vote on the agreement until the next meeting. Viner reiterated he wanted information on the town’s obligation to maintain the signage, if there is a penalty to change anything and what alterations can be made. He also wanted accident reports.
Bridges noted that the accident figures are in the analysis and met the criteria to warrant the four-way stop.
Ultimately, the board opted to approve the agreement, with Viner voting in opposition.
