A map of the Five Corners intersection showing the new and relocated stop signs (click to enlarge).
By Alice Waugh
Drivers entering the Five Corners intersection from Trapelo Road will soon encounter some changes designed to make the five-way intersection safer.
Cars turning right onto Bedford Road from Trapelo Road will encounter a new stop sign between the library lawn and the flower pot. And drivers coming into the intersection from Trapelo Road will notice that the existing stop sign has moved a bit to the west, where those who are in the know already stop before entering the intersection.
The changes were recommended by the Roadway and Traffic Committee, which also suggested a new “Do Not Enter” sign at the south end of Old Winter Street to prevent cars coming from Waltham from using that road as a shortcut during evening rush hour. Selectmen voted 2-1 against that measure, however.
“It’s the historic heart of our town, but also a pretty darned complicated intersection,” Selectman Noah Eckhouse said of the Five Corners area. While there have been few accidents, the intersection has seen quite a few near-misses because the existing Trapelo Road stop sign is behind the flower pot, which is not a good vantage point for seeing traffic coming into the intersection. Drivers who are familiar with the intersection stop a second time a bit further on, though there is no legal requirement for them to do so. Also, pedestrians crossing the road between Trapelo and Bedford Roads are at risk because there is no stop sign before the crosswalk.
“Clearly, placement is a contributing factor for pedestrian safety,” Police Chief Kevin Kennedy said. “Traffic will certainly flow better because everyone can see who’s positioned in the intersection.”
The Historic District Commission was asked to look at the stop-sign placement issue in light of the historical nature of the intersection, but members issued a finding of nonapplicability because they have no jurisdiction over roadway and safety issues of this type. However, they said that they hoped selectmen “would be mindful of the aesthetics of the area in making a decision.”
The new Five Corners signage will be tested for six months to gauge its effectiveness and make sure it doesn’t inadvertently divert traffic onto other roads.
A third issue involves drivers coming down Bedford Road to Five Corners turning left onto Trapelo Road. Legally, they are allowed to turn left between the flower pot and the library, though some residents have suggested requiring them to loop around the south side of the flowerpot. However, the sense of the Roadway and Traffic Commission (RTC) was “let’s try to solve one problem at a time,” said Eckhouse, who is also a member of the RTC.
Old Winter Street
Evening commuter traffic heading out of Waltham on Winter Street into Lincoln is sometimes backed up at Trapelo Road, so some drivers have tried to jump the line by using Old Winter Street. The RTC recommended trying a “Do Not Enter” sign that would be effective during evening commuting hours at the south end of Old Winter Street (which would apply to Old Winter Street residents as well), but Selectmen Peter Braun and Renel Fredriksen were not in favor of the idea.
“These are public roads. All the roads are open to all people unless they’re truly private roads,” Braun said, adding that he was worried about a “slippery slope” with other problem areas in town. For example, there is a long line of eastbound traffic on Lincoln Road at morning rush hour, which might theoretically encourage drivers to use Peirce Hill Road and Tower Road as a go-arounds.
“I get it, but when you look at other situations, what’s next? There’s Baker Bridge Road, Old Sudbury Road—it’s just endless,” Braun said. “I’m troubled by the notion that we should get into the head of the drivers and say your motives [for taking a certain route] aren’t good enough for us.”
Fredriksen, who commutes to East Cambridge, said she uses shortcuts like this on her way to work, “and it would feel like the height of hypocrisy for me to do it, but not in my town.” She and Braun voted against the proposal, though Eckhouse voted in favor because he is a member of the RTC.