Chelsea is a small city with a lot of traffic, and lately, that means the City Council has spent a lot of time discussing where the city should place speed bumps to slow that traffic down.
Monday night’s meeting once again had a number of requests from councilors for speed bumps, traffic lights, and other traffic calming measures.
District 6 Councilor Giovanni Recupero requested the Traffic and Parking Commission place a speed bump on Essex Street.
That request was added to several previous requests from District 3 Councilor Norieliz DeJesus for speed bumps at several locations on Clinton Street.
Councilor-at-Large Damali Vidot said the council needs to once again take a more holistic approach and meet with the public works department and traffic commission about a city-wide plan for speed bumps.
“We have a big issue in the city with so many people and so many cars, people are cutting through and speeding, and it is really creating a nuisance in the neighborhoods, particularly around schools and public parks,” said Vidot. “I don’t think it makes sense for us to be piecemealing this, where every so often there is a random order where it’s let put one on this street or one on that street.”
Recupero said he agreed that the councilors should work together to determine the best spots for speed bumps in the city.
In other council business related to traffic, Recupero asked for an update on plans for a traffic light at Congress Avenue and Broadway.
“We had a meeting where we had a study to put a light between Congress Avenue and Broadway,” said Recupero. “Nothing has happened, and that issue is more problematic now that there is more traffic.”
If there is a delay in putting in the signal, Recupero said the city should at least put a stop sign on Broadway at the intersection to make it safer for pedestrians and motorists trying to cross or turn from Congress.
Recupero also requested a subcommittee meeting with public works to discuss how traffic will be handled during construction projects on Central Avenue.
In other business, Recupero and District 4 Councilor Enio Lopez requested City Manager Thomas Ambrosino look into changing the schedule for private trash pickup in the city so that it does not interfere with the scheduled city trash pickup.
At the end of the meeting, Council President Calvin Brown presented a plaque to former Councilor-at-Large Roy Avellaneda for his years of service on the council. Avellaneda stepped down from the council earlier this year.
Brown also thanked his fellow councilors for their work this year, especially over the past two months, when he took over the council presidency after Avellaneda stepped down.
“For me, it has been a very humbling experience in an eventful period of my life, but it was rewarding,” Brown said. “I want to say thank you to the council members for being attentive and having a little patience and working together. I think that as we move forward, we will continue to try to build on that unity and trust amongst us.”