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Mayors report truck‑restriction study and near‑completion of Taunton Public Safety Complex
Summary
Mayor Shawna O'Connell told council staff is conducting a traffic study to evaluate a truck exclusion on Crane Ave S, Norton Ave and Denver Drive and that SERPID is compiling data for a possible MassDOT application. A separate communication says the new Public Safety Complex is entering final months and the administration will study reuse of vacated properties.
The Taunton City Council on Sept. 22 received two communications from the mayor's office addressing traffic and public‑safety infrastructure.
In a letter read into the record, Mayor Shawna O'Connell said a traffic study is underway in the Crane Avenue South, Norton Avenue and Denver Drive area to determine whether the city qualifies to establish a truck exclusion. The communication said ‘‘SERPID is in process of compiling and analyzing necessary data’’ and that if the data support a restriction and an application to MassDOT is approved, the city would explore ways to update navigation platforms to redirect truck traffic away from the area.
In a separate communication the record attributes to "Mayor Sean O'Connell," the administration reported that the Public Safety Complex is entering its final months of construction. The letter lists three city properties that will become available when services move to the new facility — 23 Summer Street (current police station), 50 School Street (central fire station) and 75 Oak Street (former fire administration) — and says the city will perform feasibility studies and solicit private‑sector proposals for potential reuse.
Council action: The council placed the truck‑study communication on file and referred the public‑property communication to public property, lease and license, and the fire department per the motion on the floor. No votes or timeline beyond the communications were recorded.
What to watch: If the truck‑exclusion study supports an application, the city would need MassDOT approval and follow‑on work to update navigation systems. The public‑property feasibility and solicitation process for vacated buildings will proceed under the administration's dual‑track process, with details to follow as studies and requests for proposals are developed.
