Selectmen Approve Traffic Island for Farm Lane Intersection

Westwood officials are moving forward with a new permanent traffic island after . 

The Westwood Board of Selectmen Monday night approved the Westwood Department of Public Works to resume the project, which entails installation of a traffic island at the corner of Farm Lane, Pleasant Valley Road and Conifer Lane. 

"The concept was designed by [Beta Group, Inc.] with the traffic issues in mind," said DPW Deputy Director Chris Gallagher at Monday night's Selectmen meeting.

The design comprises a vertical granite curbing along with the concrete island, additional pavement markings and new traffic and stop signs. 

The total cost of the project is estimated to be less than $1,000, according to Gallagher, due to the fact that the DPW is constructing the island using in-house employees and existing material.

Existing stop signs on Pleasant Valley Road and Conifer Lane will be replaced, and a third will be added on the top of the center of the island. A "Stop Ahead" sign will also be installed further back along Pleasant Valley Road, Gallagher said.

"The island would have 'Keep Right' signs to ensure that people know which side of the island they're supposed to be on," Jason DeGray, Senior Project Engineer of Beta Group, said Monday night. "The one element that we are suggesting is the possibility of painting an edge line on the departure of Pleasant Valley Road […] that makes it an effective width."

Gallagher and Highway Superintendent Todd Korchin to help reduce heavy traffic during the morning and evening commutes. 

As such the DPW enlisted the help of Beta Group, which also designed the .

"This is quite a similar issue, where, in the morning, cars are coming up," DeGray said. "There's quite a bit of volume, and drivers are taking that turn quite aggressively. Just from a general standpoint, there's sufficient width out there. Part of the issue is there's no real definition as to where drivers should make that turn."

DeGray and Gallagher both noted that feedback from area residents after the 30-day trial island was installed supported the argument that the island had an immediate effect, and that the painting of the edge line should help with traffic calming in the area. 

The next step, DeGray added, would be to reduce the width of the road by taking pavement out and putting a potential new curb in, should the town choose to move in that direction down the road.

"That is an option," he said. "If we wanted to take this design to the next step, that would be the next thing on the list. I don't think it would be a substantial investment, but then you have to consider if there are any utilities under the pavement."