The Traffic & Parking Committee heard lengthy public testimony about recurring crashes and near-misses at the Hamilton Street intersection with Lake Avenue and voted to hold the petition while asking the Department of Transportation & Mobility (DTM) to pursue interim safety measures.

Marguerite Cormier, a longtime Lake Avenue resident, told the committee the corridor has “always been a very busy street” and traced multiple accidents near the Hamilton Street curve. DTM staff said they sought and received design funding from the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) to study and develop construction documents for intersection improvements; the project is listed in the regional TIP for later construction funding, with construction currently programmed in federal fiscal year 2029 (the committee was told FFY29 begins October 2028).

DTM outlined a two-track approach: move quickly on lower-cost interim measures—such as pedestrian crossing signs, high-visibility markings and possibly rapid flashing beacons—and use the CMRPC-funded design to develop a long-term solution. Todd Kurey told the committee that the RFP for a design consultant is drafted and MassDOT has reviewed it; once council acceptance of the design funding is in place DTM expects to solicit bids over roughly a month and begin a community design process.

Cost and timing: DTM estimated a minimal interim rapid-flashing pedestrian crossing with ADA ramp improvements could cost in the $60,000–$150,000 range; full intersection reconstruction would likely exceed $1 million. The committee emphasized that short-term measures should not preclude the final design; members also asked DTM to assess lower-cost, durable interim options that could still be incorporated into the eventual project.

Committee action: The committee voted to hold the petition and to return the item at a future meeting with additional interim-safety proposals and a plan for community engagement during design. DTM will proceed with the RFP once the council accepts the CMRPC design funding and will coordinate public meetings during the consultant phase.