No Quick Fix for Traffic Situation

During the police traffic commission meeting on Monday, April 11, The owner of the Medical Office complex on South Lambert Road, aired some concerns he had regarding traffic blocking his driveway.

The driveway has a sign that reads “Do not block driveway” but, it seems everyone ignores it and patients cannot enter or exit when there is a red light on South Lambert at the Boston Post Road.

Realtor Mike Richetelli of Colonial Properties also addressed the commission, stating that it is difficult to rent space in the building because of the traffic and the value of the property has diminished and most likely will continue to decline once the UI buildings open up, bringing more traffic to that area.

Richetelli asked if the police could paint lines in the road with signs that read “stop here on red, do not block driveway.”

Police Chief Robert Gagne agreed that this is a difficult area for traffic pulling into the medical center and the gas station on the corner, but he cannot put lines on the road or the requested signage because they don’t fit the state’s statutory requirements.

Gagne suggested that the property owners talk to their neighbors on adjoining properties and get them to agree to allow the medical center to use their driveways as a right of way that would go straight through to Gabriel’s, as a potential solution.

Gagne added that the state traffic engineers could not come up with a quick fix for the problem.

He suggested that perhaps moving the existing sign closer to the road or finding a bigger sign with the same message to replace it so it is more easily visible.

“There are three lanes of traffic on South Lambert, so even if you get people to stop for the first lane, there’s no saying the other two lanes won’t be blocked,” Gagne said.

He assured them that he would continue to talk to the state traffic authorities while trying to find a solution.