Webster Public Safety Committee addresses Gore Road intersections

The highway department will add bright yellow reflective materials to signs at the Gore Road (Rt. 16) intersections with Douglas Road and Lower Gore Road.

Residents of 3 Douglas Road lodged a complaint that these intersections present serious safely concerns, and expressed their desire to change the layout of the intersection of Lower Gore Road to make it “Entrance Only.”

Police Chief Timothy J. Bent reported that there has been an average of six accidents per year at the Lower Gore intersection. There were two accidents there in recent weeks; both were the result of operator error, not due to any flaw in the road or intersection construction or layout, according to Highway Superintendent Kenneth Pizzetti.

Mr. Pizzetti stated that the intersection is under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Transportation, and that he would contact them to research changing the configuration of the intersection.

Chief Bent also said he would deploy the radar trailer to the area to monitor traffic.

The public safety committee, which met on Wednesday (March 7), also discussed traffic congestion on Whitcomb Street due to vehicles parking on both sides of the street.

Chief Bent reported that there are “No Parking” signs from East Main Street to the Cutler Street intersection, but none on the remainder of the street. The committee voted to post the remainder of Whitcomb Street with “No Parking” signs. They will notify Monsignor Czarnecki of St. Joseph Basilica that parking will be allowed during funerals.

The committee plans to research even-odd parking on all one-way streets in the town to correspond to the even-odd months in the calendar year.

In other business, Chief Bent voiced concerns with parking on Cudworth Road near Powerhouse Gym. The committee will write a letter to the Gym notifying them of the problem.

Ted Avlas of the School Department reviewed parking plans for the upcoming renovation/construction of the new Park Avenue Elementary School. The entire area will be reconfigured so that teachers and others will not have to park on Park Avenue.

Chief Bent also reported that 13 street lights on Main Street are malfunctioning. The Office of Community Development is responsible for the lights.