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Commission orders cautionary signage for Evans Street despite private-way jurisdiction questions
Summary
The commission instructed Public Works to install a cautionary sign near the crest of Evans Street after staff concluded portions of Evans are private and the commission's legal standing is limited.
Residents asked the Traffic Commission on July 16 to address safety concerns on Evans Street, including visibility and steep grades. Staff reported that parts of Evans Street are private or unaccepted by the city and that there is no continuous public right-of-way at one end.
A staff mapping review found Evans runs from Water Street to Beacon and includes a 12-foot-wide paved section that is effectively private in the middle where there is no recorded easement; the DPW indicated the city plows and collects trash on the portion it maintains but lacks full legal rights over the entire length. Despite that, the commission voted to have Public Works install a cautionary sign, at DPW’s discretion, near the crest of the hill to warn drivers of the obstructed view. The motion passed.
Staff advised that the city solicitor was asked about legal rights for traffic control on private ways, and commissioners asked for appropriate signage where the city has maintenance responsibility. The measure directs Public Works to choose sign type and placement and to install the sign when feasible.
