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Chelsea commission denies request to convert Hawthorne Street to one-way
Summary
A petition to make a section of Hawthorne Street one-way was denied after staff and commissioners concluded it would likely create new safety concerns and worsen congestion in nearby corridors; commissioners discussed the merits of citywide traffic studies versus piecemeal fixes.
The commission considered a communication from resident Edwin Barrientos requesting that Hawthorne Street be converted to one‑way between Marginal and Park Street. Barrientos did not attend; staff and commissioners reviewed prior presentations and community context.
City staff reported that internal review with police and fire indicated converting the segment to one‑way "would actually create new safety concerns and exacerbate congestion elsewhere," and recommended denying the request.
Commissioners debated the broader tradeoffs between piecemeal changes and a citywide traffic strategy. One commissioner argued that narrow two‑way streets slow traffic and improve pedestrian safety near schools; others pushed for a more holistic Vision Zero‑style approach but noted a full citywide study would be costly.
After discussion, a commissioner moved to deny the one‑way request; the motion was seconded and the commission voted to deny the proposal.
