By Meredith McCulloch
Two Bedford residents, Judy and Gian Criscitiello, attended the Planning Board meeting on June 7 to express their concerns about a proposed development on Grove Street in Lexington. Their concerns centered on safety and environmental impact. The development would be close to the town line where Grove Street becomes Page Road in Bedford. It also borders a large parcel of conservation land and the Burlington land-locked parcel.
Judy Criscitiello said her main concern is increased traffic on Page Road which has become increasingly busy as drivers choose that road as an alternative to The Great Road. She explained that the road is narrow, winding,and dangerous now, a situation that will be compounded by the potential of 36 more residences. The Criscitiellos asked that the Bedford Planning Board write the Lexington Planning Board to express concern.
Planning Board member Sandra Hackman echoed Criscitiello’s concern, saying that there are three pressure points in traffic flow which will be made worse by the increased traffic. The intersection of Page Road at Shawsheen Road in Bedford is closely followed by another difficult intersection at route 62. In addition more people are using Hemlock Lane as a cut-through, a problem for residents that is likely to increase with the new development.
The Bedford Planning Board voted to write the Lexington Planning Board to express those concerns, concluding, “If a new development must be permitted in this area, we urge you to reduce it to the smallest-possible economically viable number of units, given these serious concerns. Of course, we greatly respect your expertise and appreciate your consideration of these comments. “ See the entire letter here: The Bedford Planning Board’s letter of concern to the Lexington Planning Board concerning the proposed Page Rd-Grove St development
The planned development would consist of four single-family homes and 32 townhouse units. A sketch plan is expected to be shown at a Lexington Planning Board meeting on June 15 at approximately 7 pm, in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room, Town Office Building, 1625 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington.
To view the Lexington Planning Board’s documents please click this link: https://www.lexingtonma.gov/planning-department/pages/grove-street.
Loading ...
Here’s a thought – not entirely tongue-in-cheek – reduce the last 100 yds of Page Rd before the Lexington line to one lane. Make it one way into Lexington in the mornings and one way out of Lexington in the evening. Strictly enforce the new traffic flow. Perhaps that might motivate reconsideration of development plans?
Excellent idea. They did that in the town of Lincoln with the traffic coming from Waltham on Winter st.
That is one-way into Lincoln at all times. Changing the direction of the road by time could be very confusing and invite people to violate it when their navigation software gets it wrong.
Nice idea, but commuters use Grove/Page streets in both directions during morning and evening rush hour to get to work, driving both the east and west of Lexington/Bedford. A one way direction will divert more speedy drivers onto the small side streets, endangering the many kids, bikers and walkers in the neighborhood.