Westwood, Norwood to Discuss Potential Traffic Solution Along Rte. 1

Officials from Norwood have reached out to those in Westwood for support from concerning a potential solution to regular traffic congestion on Rte. 1, which runs through both towns. 

The idea, essentially, is to allow for travel in the breakdown lanes during high-traffic time periods throughout the day. Norwood officials submitted the request for support in a letter to Westwood officials, a matter that Westwood Town Administrator Mike Jaillet discussed with the Board of Selectmen at Monday night's meeting.

"What it is, evidently, they believe there's a congestion problem over on some section of Rte. 1, especially in Norwood and Westwood," Jaillet said. "Evidently they feel that some of the solution would impact us or necessitate our support, so they're reaching out to us to get that support."

Rte. 1, also known as Providence Highway, bridges the two towns at the junction of University Avenue and Everett Street. But Jaillet said Thursday that he wasn't exactly certain as to what portion of Rte. 1 Norwood was asking about.

"We need to go down there and talk to them and look at the situation from our perspective," Jaillet said. "If we do identify some concerns, we'll see if Norwood is responsive. That will determine whether or not Westwood will support, or object, to certain aspects."

One problem with using the breakdown lane for travel, Jaillet said, would be for vehicles in the right-hand lane who wish to turn off Rte. 1. Travel in the breakdown lane could cause a hassle to those vehicles trying to exit the road. 

Another issue, Jaillet added, is accessibility for emergency vehicles, and whether travel - and subsequent traffic congestion - in that lane would pose a threat.

But the travel in the breakdown lane would not be a permanent solution to traffic congestion. Norwood officials said it would help alleviate some traffic problems as a temporary alternative to a longstanding project to actually make Rte. 1 bigger.

"What we're planning to do, eventually, is to widen Rte. 1 by adding a lane to the middle of it," Norwood General Manager John Carol said. "And some day, it could rise to the top of the heap and there could be some money available."

Norwood Department of Public Works Director and Town Engineer Mark Ryan said that project actually ties in with the longstanding Westwood Station project, the developers of which he said worked with Norwood officials to come up with a design for traffic improvements along Rte. 1 and University Avenue.

"The project now is kind of at a standstill," Ryan said. "We have done survey work, which you need to design the project . . . now we just need to find some funds for the actual design. Our plan was to make it three lanes through and increase capacity on the two side streets, one being Everett Street and the other University Avenue."

Initial reaction from the Westwood Board of Selectmen Monday night was that the overflow of traffic in the area stems from the longstanding construction and development along the interchange of I-95/Rte. 128. 

"Traffic tends to go like water," Selectmen Chair Pat Ahearn said. "It goes where there's least resistance. Well there's no resistance right now. I personally would like to see the state step up and do what I believe is their responsibility and solve that regional traffic problem that's been in existence since Rte. 95 wasn't allowed to go into the city."

Selectmen Clerk Nancy Hyde said she supported the idea of looking at ways to alleviate traffic congestion, but that use of travel in the breakdown lane could be a cause for more headaches on the Westwood portion of the road.

"I think it's okay to explore this with them, but if I can envision Rte. 1 heading to 128, Norwood wants to move it through faster, but it's still going to bottleneck more in Westwood," she said.

Jaillet said he has sent a letter to Carol in order to establish a meeting for more details, which he would attend with Public Safety Officer Paul Sicard, Westwood DPW Vicki Quiram, Acting Town Engineer Chris Gallagher, among others, to get input from all sides.