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Narrow Roads Suck

I’d like to thank the person who decided that narrowing every road in Melrose would be a good idea. Did it ever occur to you that smaller roads might create more traffic? With all our great new narrow roads, traffic is at a stand still because nobody can get around the cars in front of them. Most roads that have just been done over, allow cars more space not less. Also moronic is the idea that these swell new narrow roads can safely accommodate bikers as well as too many cars squeezed into lanes far to small. When I see moronic action like this, I always say “follow the money”. So, what is it? Big grants for making Melrose a bike community (no matter how unsafe)? Or could it be be grants for more walking spaces meaning that we needed to double the side walks all over Melrose at the expense of reasonable sized roadways? Finally, I would like to point out that emergency vehicles are going to be forced to take longer alternate routes to get to emergencies because there is no possible way they can make the tight swings or fit past all the cars stuck in traffic. Thanks again for the narrow roads. Brilliant idea. Now, make the roads full sized again so some of us can get where we need to go in a car.

Re: Narrow Roads Suck

Bigger is better
I’d like to thank the person who decided that narrowing every road in Melrose would be a good idea. Did it ever occur to you that smaller roads might create more traffic? With all our great new narrow roads, traffic is at a stand still because nobody can get around the cars in front of them. Most roads that have just been done over, allow cars more space not less. Also moronic is the idea that these swell new narrow roads can safely accommodate bikers as well as too many cars squeezed into lanes far to small. When I see moronic action like this, I always say “follow the money”. So, what is it? Big grants for making Melrose a bike community (no matter how unsafe)? Or could it be be grants for more walking spaces meaning that we needed to double the side walks all over Melrose at the expense of reasonable sized roadways? Finally, I would like to point out that emergency vehicles are going to be forced to take longer alternate routes to get to emergencies because there is no possible way they can make the tight swings or fit past all the cars stuck in traffic. Thanks again for the narrow roads. Brilliant idea. Now, make the roads full sized again so some of us can get where we need to go in a car.


Traffic has nothing to do with narrow roads. It has everything to do with the population sky rocketing. Did you not notice that traffic sucked even before all this road construction started? We'll be at 35,000 within a few years, I have no doubt. Think about that for a minute, 5 years about we were around 26,500. Almost 9 thousand new residents in that time and growing. If you think this is going to slow down, think again. Dolan, along with many new residents want to turn us into an actual city. I mean for christ sakes everywhere you look there is a building/condo/business/apartment going in. I can handle what we currently have, but like i said above, it's not going to stop.

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It's a combination of both the narrow streets and the population increase. The narrow roads have Lebanon backed up from the Hospital to Malden now because cars can't turn right or go straight around a car holding up the entire lane while waiting to turn left. And, the huge curb bump outs are simply ridiculous. Making a right hand turn without taking your car's front end off is a miracle.

Re: Narrow Roads Suck

Wow.....are you saying that our "golden boy" Mayor or the "2nd coming" and his Planning Board are incompetent? Dah....you just figured this out? Our Mayor is a political hack who like all hacks will eventually implode.

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As a result, people will be frustrated with the Lebanon St traffic and will then reroute through the east side side streets frustrating those residents with speeders going through. [8-)]

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Obviously ZERO consideration was given to the increased auto emission pollution from stalled traffic. Lebanon St.
residents deserve our sympathy. Where were the public hearings on all this ? Beware of the government bearing grants.

Re: Narrow Roads Suck

Main St. is backing up big time for those heading southbound because of the traffic turning left onto Lebanon at the hospital. It backs up past the point where it could be considered two lanes causing drivers who want to drive south on Main st. toward city hall to get tied up.

It's not about any increased volume of traffic. This problem started only AFTER suffering through a year of construction in our neighborhood. Creating more obstacles like narrower streets don't help traffic flow. They tie it up. Everyone knows many accidents happen due to traffic congestion.

This bandwagon business of narrowed streets, fewer parking spaces, bump-outs and wasting paint on bike lanes which aren't used is strangling Melrose.

Re: Narrow Roads Suck

I came through there Friday morning and traffic was backed up past Franklin Square. This is clear proof that the people designing and reviewing these projects have not the faintest idea what they are doing. I wish I could say I was surprised. Bet your paycheck that the first time someone gets run down they will blame everyone and everything but the real problem and who caused it. Melrose is run by a bunch of complete amateurs.

Re: Narrow Roads Suck

There is no such thing as true public hearings in Melrose since Dolan's fiefdom took power (and restricted the field of potential mayoral candidates through changes to the City Charter). Decisions are made in advance of public input. This is how you end up with poorly designed roadways and intersections that don't meet the needs of autos, bikers, local businesses. This is how we will end up with two prefabricated trailers attached to the front of the Horace Mann School and other elementary schools in town. Boy, that is going to look just swell.

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Narrow roads or not the population increase is 75% of the problem. You can have the best road blueprints in the eastern hemisphere but if the area is seeing a population spike there is going to be traffic. Nothing we can do at this point. I will say though, I've mapped out other routes and I blow by all that mess. Take a few minutes today and map out a new route for yourself, you may be pleasantly surprised.

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Flying down side streets that are unequipped for high speeds and volumes is a dangerous solution to ill-planned main and feeder roads.

Re: Narrow Roads Suck

Trucker
Flying down side streets that are unequipped for high speeds and volumes is a dangerous solution to ill-planned main and feeder roads.


You're correct. FLYING down side streets that are unequipped for high speeds is dangerous. And if that becomes the case I'm sure Melrose PD will quickly take notice and those who break the law will be reprimanded. I however, take side streets, and obey the rules of the road. Not difficult to do if you're a mature adult.

Re: Narrow Roads Suck

While some of these streets were narrowed (to reduce car speeds, increase safety), none of them had lane reductions, so the idea that traffic is now a nightmare is just not true. I remember driving at night rush hour 10 years ago and still being stuck in traffic on Main and Lebanon.

At least it's to make sidewalks wider. Not everyone bikes, but everyone does walk (including from their car to the store).

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Nope. The addition of the bike lanes, which cars are NOT supposed to drive in, has reduced the number of actual lanes from 2 to 1. You can't (legally) move to the right to take a right onto Porter, and you can't (legally) move to the right to go around cars trying to turn left onto Lebanon. The Highlands is equally bad. Our fearless leaders should spend a little less time and money trying to turn Melrose into Cambridge.

Re: Narrow Roads Suck

M10
While some of these streets were narrowed (to reduce car speeds, increase safety), none of them had lane reductions, so the idea that traffic is now a nightmare is just not true. I remember driving at night rush hour 10 years ago and still being stuck in traffic on Main and Lebanon.

At least it's to make sidewalks wider. Not everyone bikes, but everyone does walk (including from their car to the store).


Thank you Melrose PR for the spin. Why do you people even bother? We all see right through it.

Re: Narrow Roads Suck

M10
While some of these streets were narrowed (to reduce car speeds, increase safety), none of them had lane reductions, so the idea that traffic is now a nightmare is just not true. I remember driving at night rush hour 10 years ago and still being stuck in traffic on Main and Lebanon.

At least it's to make sidewalks wider. Not everyone bikes, but everyone does walk (including from their car to the store).


Yes, 10 years ago we did wait in traffic. But it was NOT this bad. The population is to thank for that. Trying to fit as many people as we can into this 4.7 square miles.

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The lane ADDITION, Upham wb left onto Lebanon, is working well.

Re: Narrow Roads Suck

Bruce
The lane ADDITION, Upham wb left onto Lebanon, is working well.
It's true Upham is working better at Lebanon than before. That was a simple line painting solution that took years to implement. So many other intersections are bad for years now.

Two other long-needed fixes:

South on Main at the Parkway the left turners block the straight traffic while the right lane is mostly empty. Make the right lane straight and right.

East on the Parkway at Tremont and at Vinton the green lights that stay on longer are dangerous. I've seen accidents and many more near accidents due to people coming the other way waiting at the intersection to turn left when the light turns yellow. Make both directions turn yellow and red at the same time.

Extend the two lanes heading south on Main at Lebanon so the straight traffic doesn't get blocked by all the backed up traffic waiting to turn left onto Lebanon.

Eliminate the automatic walk signals which turn on when no pedestrians are present. They are ridiculous.

Make the school zone 20 mph signs light up only when school opens and closes. The other times are due to plain neglect. Some still light up as if there is half day kindergarten.

Re: Narrow Roads Suck

Progress
Bruce
The lane ADDITION, Upham wb left onto Lebanon, is working well.
It's true Upham is working better at Lebanon than before. That was a simple line painting solution that took years to implement. So many other intersections are bad for years now.


The street was widened by 5-8 ft to allow for that.

Progress


Eliminate the automatic walk signals which turn on when no pedestrians are present. They are ridiculous.


Why is it not ridiculous that people have to wait to cross when there are no cars? Why should car traffic always get preferential treatment? (almost all of Melrose's signals make you push the button anyway)