South Marble Street residents want road changes to protect their children
Published on September 29th, 1999
STONEHAM, MA - Residents of South Marble Street, a private way as narrow as 12 feet at some points, say their children are in danger.
Parents want to alter the traffic flow to protect their children.
Town officials worry changes to the road could create more safety hazards.
Neighbors and officials plan to get together in October to find a solution.
"I have seen eighteen-wheelers come down this street," said Ann Simmons of 14 South Marble St.
Erin Barry lives on the corner of Marble and South Marble Street. She saw a car almost hit her 6-year-old son while he was riding his bike to a neighbor's home.
"The driver saw him and tried to avoid him, but there was so little room that she still almost hit him," Barry said.
The problem
At the end of South Marble Street a car could turn right and cut through the back of the Mosley Condominiums onto Park Street near the Route 93 entrance. Traffic could also go left up Summit Road to Graystone Road and out to Main Street. Or a driver could follow the Summit Road horseshoe out to North Border Road. Many of the people living in a development of large homes off Summit Road exercise one of these options daily.
South Marble Street neighbors wrote a letter asking Mosley Condominium management to block the opening at the back of the condo lot so traffic could not cut through to Park Street.
"Originally, the cut-through was added for South Marble Street residents," Simmons said. "But we want it blocked."
Neighbors are waiting to hear back from the condominium management.
Besides eliminating the Mosley cut-through, neighbors want to do something to prevent traffic from flowing to and from Summit Road and surrounding streets through South Marble Street.
"It's a convenience issue for people on those streets, but it's a safety issue for our street," Simmons said.
Police, fire and public works officials say that the character of the street — the narrow width which causes parents concern — also limits possible solutions.
According to Town Counsel Bill Solomon, since South Marble Street is a private way residents have control of the road, but the Town can intervene to ensure the safety of all citizens.
"We should not dead-end this street because fire apparatus would not be able to turn around or exit to another call," Fire Chief Larry Lamey said.
"One-way will not work because it makes no sense to make a law which will not be enforced," Police Chief Eugene Passaro said.
In his opinion, even with signage forbidding it residents would continue to use South Marble Street as a cut-through instead of driving an extra mile to get to Route 93.
Public Works Director Bob Grover said the road must remain open for efficient snow plowing and storm emergency work.
"For any changes in the road, all the liability goes to the abutters," Grover added.
A solution
A gate at the end of South Marble Street may be the answer.
The road will in effect be a dead end as residents desire.
The fire department and police could have automatic access to the gate.
And public works could have a key to use when they have to get trucks through for plowing or road work.
Chief Lamey, Chief Passaro and Grover agree that the gate is a logical solution.
"It's the only thing that makes sense," Passaro said.
Simmons said, before any changes to the road are made, neighbors will go before the Board of Selectmen.
At press time, the neighbors are not yet on an agenda.
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