Traffic commission forwards mayor’s memo backing a new Traffic and Transportation Department within DPW to city council

The Framingham Traffic Commission on April 22 voted to forward a memorandum from the mayor’s office recommending the creation of a Traffic and Transportation Department within the Department of Public Works.

The proposal, previously studied in 2020, would consolidate traffic engineering, the city’s lights-and-signals group and other transportation functions under a single director who would report to the DPW director. The memo, presented at the meeting, proposed staff changes including a traffic-and-transportation director, a senior traffic engineer and an administrative assistant; some positions would be new and others would be reclassified or shifted from existing vacant roles.

Deputy DPW Director Bob Lewis told the commission the consolidation should produce efficiencies and better coordination between signal operations and traffic engineering work. He said enforcement would remain the responsibility of the Framingham Police Department and that ongoing costs for equipment and minor transportation improvements would be funded through city appropriations, grants and mitigation funds.

Commissioners discussed staffing and budget process questions; several members asked whether the change would bypass normal budget approvals, and DPW staff said the regular budget process remains in place and any additional positions or equipment would be reviewed as part of the city’s budget cycle.

A motion to forward the mayor’s memo and recommend the creation of the Traffic and Transportation Department was made, seconded and approved by unanimous roll-call vote. The administration will submit the proposal to the city council for formal consideration.