Town Seeks Blueprint For Center's Traffic Future

Leonard Street as a one-way road. How about traffic lights at the Concord Avenue intersection at the commuter rail tunnel? Parking meters, expanded open space and a roundabout in Belmont Center.

According the town's head development official, all of the above and more should be placed on the table as the town begins the first step in repairing and rethinking Belmont Center's main thoroughfare and its side streets.

"It's now or never," said Glenn Clancy, Belmont's director of community development, after the meeting of the Board of Selectmen Monday, June 21 where he presented a preliminary plan to create a coordinated design to improve travel to and through the town's business center.

But Clancy, who in his quarter century with the town has participated in three or four failed attempts to renovate the Center's main and secondary streets, believes the odds are favorable that a comprehensive traffic blueprint will be accepted by the diverse collection of interests – businesses, residents and commuters to name just a few – who call the Center their own.

"It's not easy to get consensus on a major change of traffic or patterns. But I feel it's time that it can be done and we can do something cool here," said Clancy.

At the urging of the Board, Clancy was given the go ahead to repave Leonard Street "right away," according to Selectman Angelo Firenze.

Clancy said the town will direct funds into the existing northern Concord Street renovation account and perform the temporary repaving along Leonard that could be completed by late summer or early fall.

"It will not be pretty" but is something that "bridges the gap" from the existing threadbare road and a renovated street in the next three years, said Clancy.

The impetus to revisit the Center comes as Belmont's major roads project winds down.

With the town near the end of the repairing and paving the town's key roads in 2012, Clancy said it was time to take a look at the secondary roads or do something ambitious with the funds set aside for street improvement.

And the most likely candidate for that sort of consideration is the street intersecting the town's main business district and commuter hub. 

There is a universal recognition that Leonard Street is in general disrepair and the traffic patterns along the secondary streets are not coordinated to permit a steady traffic flow.

Clancy said he hopes to "scope out" ideas from business owners, pedestrians, commuters and just about anyone who has a stake in the Center.

After the meeting, Clancy said the Center's business community is both "vocal and protective" of the street "and well they should be since they make their living there."

One of those business proprietors Clancy will need to convince to join his effort is Robert Berberian, owner of 66 Leonard Street and Robert's Salon and Spa.

As a member of the Belmont Center Business Association, Berberian is encouraged the town is moving forward with even a temporary repaving "as long as it's done soon."

While parking is not an issue with his businesses, he isn't initially supportive of parking meters returning or making Leonard Street a one-way roadway.

"I don't know how that would help us," said Berberian, who puts street lighting and crosswalks on the top of his must do list.

Jennifer Fallon, chairwoman of the town's Planning Board, indicated that her group will inject a more holistic approach to the project with a view on open spaces, how the work will affect other capital projects and propose changes to road configurations among a myriad of proposals.

"We'll be happy to participate and happy to get it done," said Fallon.

While many suggestions are being thrown out, from traffic calming patterns, traffic lights and one ways, "the only way we'll know" if any are feasible "is with a study that will provide two or three options," said Clancy.

Clancy said an issue facing the town is whether to stay with the it's long-time traffic consultant, BSC Group, or issue a new request for proposal for the Center's traffic study. The Boston-based engineering and planning firm does have experience in the area working on the Claflin Street parking lot.

In addition, issuing a new RFP will extend the renovations completion date into 2013, said Clancy.

Clancy said he would be working hard bringing forth a plan that will garner wide acceptance and create a better traffic environment for the Center.

"The time has come to do something significant and not wait any longer," he said.