It took me 25 minutes (7:45 to 8:10) to drive down Main Street from the Fellsway to Wyoming. What are the City Planners, BOA and Mayor going to do? The consequences of overcrowding/overbuilding on our streets and in our schools screams poor judgement and "planning"!
I agree - I had the same experience about the same time last week. It's about more taxes to support the regime!
They don't care about the function of the infrastructure. It's all about how it looks. They think by making narrow streets and no parking, Melrose will finally be its own Beacon Hill. Narrow lanes and bump-outs only create congestion. When anyone stops on the road for any reason no one can go around them. People can't park because the on-street parking is reduced. When they wait for someone leaving a parking space, they hold up traffic. When they try to park, they hold up traffic. Notice also that the emergency vehicle override for the traffic lights stops up the traffic thoroughly. That made things worse this morning. A good tool when designed well in other towns is applied poorly in Melrose.
The results don't even look good. Take a gander of the results on Franklin near the Highland commuter rail stop. There are so many street signs and street markings it looks like Times Square without the video screens.
Parking signs every 10 feet.
Signs saying you are approaching a crosswalk.
Signs saying you've reached a crosswalk.
Signs telling the non-existent bike riders they can use the street (duh!)
This is all repeated with garish paint markings on the street.
So much for a quaint New England atmosphere. It is not even safe. It is information overload and people just zone out and ignore everything. Another instance of the bureaucrats going crazy and driving up costs without any benefit. I'm sure this will be the norm anytime some area is "improved".
Many a door and side view mirror have been ripped off of parked vehicles by passing autos along the poorly planned highlands business district. It is only a matter of time before a passenger exiting a parked vehicle gets crushed by a passing car. It is very scary unloading my daughter to get to the dance studio.
Yes, just what the people who live on the quiet side streets want, more traffic and drivers aggravated with Main St. speeding through.
On another note the enormous structure that took over the quaint little antique shop looks fantastic as I see it right in front of me turning from Emerson onto Essex St. That was sarcasm in case you didn't notice.
These are typical "make work" government projects whereby, to be sure you can justify your budget for next year, you spend what you were alloted for this year. It's called "use it or lose it". If a city planner feels lucky, funding can be proposed to be added to next year's budget for new projects called "Initiatives". Given the choice of facilitating traffic or "urban beautification, city planners, will usually go for "urban beautification". Might even get an award.
That's exactly why you see the Mass. Hwy Dep't doing a lot of re-paving projects before the end of their fiscal year, a quick way to "use" up money before they "lose" it.
And wait until these condo owners start complaining about the lights and noise and then demand limits on the use of the ball field and football areas - thanks Mayor - great idea to allow this to happen!
Stop building the condos.
You guys do realize you only live 7 miles from a major metropolitan right? Did you think Melrose would always have that "town" feel? If you did, you weren't paying attention to the progression coming out of Boston. Meaning at one point, Everett, Malden, Revere Etc were nicer areas. Or at least nicer than they are now! Melrose is just next in line. Not a racist comment, but lets face it, when I was growing up in Melrose it was 99% white, now its down to something like 86%. Take that comment for what you will but once again it goes back to my everett, malden, revere comment. They too were once all white communities.
Look folks long story short this is the way of Melrose now, it's finally earned it's city "stripes." If anything it's going to get worse, not better. So if you don't like it sell your overpriced house and beat it. Melrose is a CITY from here on out. Also let me say that I agree with most of you, I've just realized whining about it is useless. I my self have been looking at some nicer, quieter communities further North. So agree with me, yell at me, say what you will, but I'm not wrong with anything i've said.
Sure. Enjoy Tewksbury and realize that nobody here misses you. Malden and Everett were dumps 25 years ago and are dumps today. Melrose is a great city and will contiue to be so. Check out realtor.com. Too bad you chose the wrong time to sell!
The traffic problems are not the slight change in demographics. I grew up in Melrose and it was always considered better than Malden, Everett & Revere. People moved from those cities to Melrose to better themselves back then. The ethnic makeup is irrelevant.
The traffic problems are due to too many people on the roads. Every household has 2 or 3 cars and those new condos just added so many more households.
Enjoy whatever craphole you want to move to. I can guarantee that we will not be hovering around on message boards in your crappy city. It sounds like you are one of the out of towners that tried to take on the Mayor and got slapped down. Boohooo! You aren't missed here.
Stop the condos from being built. We don't need any more. We don't need the new ones that we have now but it's obviously too late. I wasn't paying attention & now I wish I had. Not that I could have done anything ...
I would love to trace the $$$ and see who in town benefited from them. Because some people did. I guarantee it.
What out of towners tried to take on the mayor and got slapped down, as you write?