As we discussed, the City is using traffic counts done on Centre Street in West Roxbury in May by a subcontractor of Cullinan Engineering to support its argument that four travel lanes should be continued on Centre Street, despite the safety issues experienced by the community and the negative effect of the wide, fast road on pedestrians, retail sales, real estate values and quality of life issues in the community.

        Those of us who oppose retaining this dangerous and ineffective status quo have consulted with several other transportation engineers who are not on the City payroll. All of them concur that the road needs to be redesigned and, as it currently exists, is dangerous to pedestrians, detrimental to business interests, and inefficient in handling traffic.

        Please read carefully the following comments from one of the transportation engineers advising us in our effort to reduce the number of lanes on Centre Street, and the attached documentation regarding pedestrian safety, business development and property values. If you have questions or comments, or wish to join our petition effort to redesign Centre Street, please contact us at the addresses below.

         “The Centre Street, West Roxbury traffic counts reported to the community by the consultant to the City on June 26, 2003, and in the study done for Roche Brothers by Van Ness Associates, DO NOT JUSTIFY THE CONTINUED USE OF FOUR LANES ON THAT STREET.

         “The traffic counts provided by the City on June 26, 2003 are ‘unbelievably low’ and can be handled very adequately by a redesigned roadway with two traveling lanes, one in each direction and the establishment of turning lanes at all signalized intersections to effect more efficient operations. Centre Street as it currently operates is functioning as a poorly organized two lane road, not as a four lane roadway. The introduction of long turning lanes would allow vehicles to self-segregate into the proper lanes as they approach the intersection. Currently, backups are occurring because cars are waiting to turn in the left travel lanes while those behind them are waiting to go straight.

        “Additionally, vehicles are often double-parked in the right travel lanes, waiting for curb side parking. Parking is not controlled in any way, which encourages people to park long term, which is the total opposite of what merchants should want. Drivers then block traffic by double parking in front of the store destination or by idling in the right lane while waiting for a space to open up.

        “There is no justification for the City’s contention that reducing the number of lanes on Centre Street would send drivers up residential roads. If Centre Street were reorganized properly, traffic would move more efficiently on Centre and drivers would not need shortcuts.”

        Cranston “Chan” Rogers, traffic engineer and retired project manager for the South Station segment of the Big Dig.

        Yours truly,

         Walkable West Roxbury
                    Contact person: Gwynne Morgan 617-323-2896
                    gwynne.morgan@verizon.net