Saxonville Intersection Improvement Update

Saxonville would get new and improved pedestrian crossings, traffic signals and sidewalks as well as 15 new on-street parking spots on Concord Street under a proposed Saxonville Intersection Improvements plan.
Government & Politics
Planning & Development
Saxonville
Author

Sharon Machlis Gartenberg

Published

November 16, 2020

Saxonville would get new and improved pedestrian crossings, traffic signals and sidewalks as well as 15 new on-street parking spots on Concord Street under a proposed Saxonville Intersection Improvements plan.

The Framingham Department of Public Works hosted a Zoom meeting Thursday night to outline project plans. The plan includes:


Source: Framingham Public Works Dept. Nov. 12, 2020 presentation

In addition, “speed feedback” signs displaying passing vehicle’s currents speeds are planned for the area as an interim improvement even before this project would get underway.

I found a lot to like about this plan, such as improving pedestrian safety and aesthetics, as well as addressing the incredibly dangerous traffic flow on Concord Street when cars turning left on Danforth can’t see other cars traveling north on Concord Street because left-turn lane traffic is stopped and backed up.

My lone disappointment is the lack of real accommodations for bicycles. There will be no protected or even separate bicycle lane, but merely what they called “sharrows”: arrows painted on vehicle lanes that are supposed to show cars they need to share the lane with bikes.


Source: Screenshot from Framingham Public Works Dept. Nov. 12, 2020 Zoom presentation

Such lane-sharing has been shown to work well when vehicle speeds are down to 5 or 10 mph. But at the current speed limits of 25 to 30 mph – especially with a lot of drive-through commuter traffic as opposed to just neighborhood traffic – few casual hobbyist cyclists will feel safe in such circumstances. It’s a pity, because this will remain a significant barrier for residents north of the Saxonville business district to access the Cochituate Rail Trail safely.

The small city parking lot across from the mill off Concord and Danforth streets will be repaved and landscaped a bit (there will be no change in number of spaces), but there was no mention of adding any bicycle parking there either. Hopefully that can be changed!

The $4.2 million project is at the 35% design phase. If funded, construction would be expected to start in 2022. It covers Concord Street from the Sudbury River to the Elm Street traffic light and also a bit of Central Street:


Source: Framingham Public Works Dept. Nov. 12, 2020 presentation

For more information, you can ask to sign up for the DPW’s project e-mail list by contacting DPWProjects@FraminghamMA.gov. The PowerPoint presentation is online as a PDF at https://www.framinghamma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/40422/Final-PowerPoint-Saxonville.

See latest Saxonville coverage at the District 2 Saxonville page.


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