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Public raises concerns about MassDOT outreach and a broken HAWK pedestrian signal; MPO staff say they will follow up
Summary
During public comment, residents asked for clearer MassDOT public-participation contact information and questioned the timing of a Chatham design hearing; a separate public report said a HAWK pedestrian signal near Belmont Circle has been malfunctioning for months despite staff saying firmware updates were completed — staff pledged to investigate. The CCRTA reported delays commissioning six battery-electric buses and a future delivery of 15 cutaway vehicles.
During public comment at the June 15 MPO meeting, two members of the public pressed staff on outreach and safety issues and MPO staff committed to follow up.
Steve Buckley, an interested member of the public, said he recently received notice of a design public hearing on a Chatham intersection but was unclear how the event would be conducted and why the town scheduled the meeting at 4 p.m. instead of an evening hour that would be more accessible to working people. Buckley also asked who at MassDOT oversees the public participation plan, saying that he and others have had difficulty finding a contact and getting replies to e-mails and voicemails. The chair and staff noted that public participation responsibilities are shared across several offices and said they would try to provide clearer guidance about who receives and monitors public participation inquiries.
John York raised a separate public-safety complaint about a HAWK pedestrian signal at the Scenic Highway entrance to the Belmont Rotary that he said has not worked reliably for about six months; he said pushbuttons sometimes report "wait" but traffic signals never change, and he cited earlier fatalities that prompted the HAWK installation. Colleen Medeiros said district electricians updated the firmware and that, per the district, "all head buttons are now working per design as of May 5." York and others said the signal still does not function properly during his recent observed crossings; staff agreed to pass the report back to District 5 for further inspection and repair.
In a separate update, Paul from the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority said the CCRTA is commissioning six battery-electric buses purchased with funds from the Volkswagen settlement administered by DEP; the commissioning has proceeded more slowly than expected and CCRTA expects those buses to enter service over the next three to four weeks. He also said CCRTA was awarded 15 cutaway vehicles through MassDOT’s mobility assistance program, with deliveries scheduled in summer and fall 2027.
Staff asked members of the public to continue using the raise-hand function during the meeting and to follow up with staff if technical or participation concerns persist.
