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Resident urges North Smithfield action after cars block sightlines at Mechanic Street intersection
Summary
A resident reported repeated visibility hazards where vehicles park at the corner of Fillion Drive and Mechanic Street and asked the council and police to enforce a no-parking rule after town-installed signs were removed.
At the Feb. 3 North Smithfield Town Council meeting, resident Leanne Gillette told the council that vehicles parked at the corner of Fillion Drive and Mechanic Street are blocking sightlines and creating a danger for children and drivers. Gillette asked the council and police for help after a town no-parking sign was removed and left lying face down.
Gillette said residents repeatedly cannot see oncoming traffic and described an incident over the past weekend in which a child on a bicycle narrowly avoided being struck when a car “screeched to a halt literally within 12 inches of hitting the child.” She said a homeowner regularly parks at the corner despite plenty of driveway space and that officers had previously installed two no-parking signs; one sign was found removed and laying on the ground.
Chief Tim Lafferty urged a meeting with the homeowner, Gillette and the chief to try to resolve the issue. “I advise to have a meeting with an individual, speak to him and myself, to try to resolve the phone so he could find someone else on his property that we can construct,” Lafferty said, indicating a plan to discuss parking placement directly with the household.
Gillette referenced a local code provision she identified as “3-10-11,” saying it prohibits parking within 20 feet of an intersection. She said she had photographs and correspondence documenting the issue and asked the council to support enforcement.
Why it matters: blocked sightlines at intersections can create immediate roadway hazards, especially where children travel to and from a nearby neighborhood. The chief proposed direct outreach to the homeowner; no formal enforcement action or council vote is recorded in the provided transcript.
The record: The transcript shows Gillette’s detailed account and the chief’s willingness to intervene by meeting with the homeowner. No citation of a ticket or scheduled enforcement action appears in the supplied excerpt.
