Dedham Square Project Recommended by Finance, Expanded Traffic Study Expected

The received a recommendation from the Finance Committee Tuesday evening in an 8-1 vote and now heads to next month’s Town Meeting for approval.

Committee member Derek Moulton scrutinized the project last week and continued Tuesday to voice his concerns with the $6.1 million price tag - $1.3 million of which will be paid through a state grant.

“I fully understand the Square needs work, the dummy [traffic light] needs to be removed,” Moulton said. “But I do think the majority of the sidewalks […] are functioning perfectly fine.”

Moulton said the aesthetic improvements, which he lumped the sidewalk reconstruction into, shouldn’t cost as much as planned.

David Field, the town engineer, pegged the cost of aesthetics at 13 percent of the project, but he, and others, don’t consider the sidewalks a part of that.

The cost and inclusion of aesthetics didn’t bother committee member Susan Carney because it also plans to fix major problems in the Square.

“I’m going to support it for two reasons,” she said. “I think it will make pedestrian safety better. And I also think it will slow down some of the traffic and hopefully improve the flow of traffic in the Square.”

Moulton again raised traffic concerns with the plan, and questioned the limited scope of a traffic study ordered by the town. Town officials have since said they would go back and expand on the study to include more streets.

“Capital Expenditures Committee raised questions, this committee has raised questions,” selectman Michael Butler said. “It is incumbent on the [Board of Selectmen] to undertake the effort to do the due diligence and provide that information.”

During several presentations, for funding came under fire from members from the Finance Committee and the Capital Expenditures Committee.

On several occasions advocates referenced a master plan and 5-year plan as reasons to do the project now. Finance Committee chairman David Martin said the latter needs more publicity to help with understanding the town’s capital goals in the future.

“It’s one of the few remaining opaque items in Dedham’s activities. It would be good to add some clarity, logic and predictability to it,” Martin said.

Meeting Notes

• Committee member Russell Stamm, who also serves as the treasurer, voted to recommend the project Tuesday. He said he received a letter from the state’s Ethics Commission that said there wasn’t a conflict. He also publicly stated he owns a business that leases space in Dedham Square, but a part that will not be touched by the project.
  
  
• The Finance Committee also recommended the town spends between and the. Town Administrator said while no one has formed any concrete plans for the land, it is probable that the station would receive an addition and a renovation. The committee unanimously recommended the plan.