Selectmen, Traffic Safety Committee Say No Stop Sign Necessary at Barrows and Main

Recent Oliver Ames graduate Bobby O'Donnell appeared before the Board of Selectmen Monday to lobby for a stop sign at the corner of Barrows Street and Main Street - an intersection he said is in dire need of signage.

The Board's response: There will be no sign in the immediate future, but changes are coming to the intersection soon.

The Board of Selectmen agreed with the Traffic Safety Committee's recommendation that, due to a lack of accidents, the intersection was not in need of a stop sign. However, road changes associated with the could call for signage.

"I agree with traffic safety commission because there are certain requirements that are to be met, but just know that there are changes coming to that intersection," Board of Selectmen Chair Colleen Corona said.

Police Chief Allen Krajcik, who was representing a Traffic Safety Committee comprised of the Police Chief, DPW Director and Fire Chief, said he recalls zero accidents at the Barrows, Main intersection since he has been in Easton.

Krajcik said according to the in Traffic Control Device Manual (a manual with national taffic and signage standards), a stop sign is warranted after five crashes in a three year period or three crashes in a two year period.

He said motorists have been following the normal "right of way" rule at the Barrows-Main intersection.

"That has been working effectively because of sight distance and looking in both directions," he said. "Just the way the intersection comes together, people coming down the hill yield to people on Main Street."

O'Donnell, who said he has worked as a paramedic in Stoughton and seen "horrific accidents" said crashes shouldn't need to occur in order to prevent future accidents.

"I understand that one of the reasons for not putting a stop sign is that there’s no crash history," he said. "There doesn’t have to be a history for a crash to happen. I’ve learned that it’s a lot easier to prevent a problem than it is to correct one. It’s a situation that I wouldn’t like to see a crash there."

Krajcik said the angle of the intersection will be changed once construction begins on Main Street for North Easton Revitalization. The result could be a stop sign at that time.

He also pointed to the device manual's advice that regulatory signs should be used conservatively so they are more meaningful for motorists.

Krajcik and Selectmen agreed that O'Donnell's activism was impressive.

"I just want to say I’m impressed that you took an interest because most citizens your age aren’t concerned about things like that," Krajcik said.