Ron Boisseau returns for his 12th year as crossing guard in front of Old Town Hall, where the crosswalk will soon get an upgrade. “In all kinds of weather, no matter how wet or cold, Ron always has a cheerful greeting and warm smile,” says School Committee member Susan, Taylor, who took the photo.
Work to upgrade the Lincoln Road crosswalk at the Old Town Hall will begin next month. It’s the first item on a five-year mater plan of roadway projects that was approved earlier this month.
The upgraded crosswalk, which will include a raised table and better signage, “should help slow traffic and create safer crossing for pedestrians and cyclists, especially for students and families who use the crossing to connect to the school campus,” Chris Bibbo, Superintendent of the Department of Public Works, said in a statement. Construction is expected to take a few weeks.
In reaction to the plan listing 12 projects over a five-year period, some residents on LincolnTalk were dismayed that the plan did not include an extension of the roadside path on Trapelo Road down to Old County Road, although the idea was included in the much more comprehensive Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee’s master plan approved earlier this year. The more recent five-year plan arose from a collaboration among the BPAC, the DPW, and the Roadside and Traffic Committee.
“There have been multiple efforts over the years to extend the Trapelo roadside path to Old County Road,” BPAC member Bob Wolf noted on LincolnTalk. “Any extension, however, would cross land owned by Cambridge as reservoir buffer and require their agreement and easement, things they’ve been unwilling to grant. The five-year plan is a statement of what the town believes we are able to address, and the roadside path extension is not possible at this time. The plan will be reviewed and extended annually, however. We can hope circumstances change and the extension can be added in the future.”
“We anticipate that the plan will evolve as priorities change and funding opportunities emerge,” BPAC Chair Ginger Reiner said. The best time to provide input is in the fall, but the group, usually meets the third Thursday of the month at 8 a.m. at Town Hall, welcomes questions and comments at any time.