Residents Push for Robin Hill Road Resolution

Residents of Robin Hill Road and High Street last night asked selectmen for the status update on the which residents say pose a serious risk for pedestrians and motorists.

John Tubridy of High Street praised Chelmsford Police for recently conducting crosswalk patrol in which cars not yielding to pedestrians were cited - but said just a few minutes away on Robin Hill Road and High Street, motorists are getting a different picture.

"(These roads) experience significant pedestrian and bicycle traffic," he said. "The town needs to remove the lines ... (someone is going to get) seriously injured."

Christine McNamara of High Street said she has seen potential accidents every day.

"I don’t live far from serious bend in the road ... people always yield to pedestrians, the issue is that double line, (motorists) don’t expect someone to be coming the opposite way," she said. "Cars are swerving and the people coming the opposite way don’t anticipate it. I think it has to do with perception of double line clearly defines, don’t cross, so you don’t anticipate coming from your side."

Alan Kent, also of High Street, reiterated her point.

"There's an assumption that even though I know this street is a country road, really the assumption is oncoming traffic is not going to expect anybody in their lane. We have a curve and it's hazardous. We have dog-walkers, bicyclists and people who just walk," he said.

Selectmen Chairman George Dixon said a traffic study on Robin Hill Road has been completed and a traffic study on High Street is in progress.

Dixon said more speed limit signs will be posted on Robin Hill Road.

"We are getting feedback both ways, to be honest," he said. " ... I want everyone to understand we’re working as diligently, with all our resources, as we possibly can. We’re trying to do the right thing for everybody and some people are understandably a little upset. We’re not delaying it intentionally, we’re just trying to make the right decision."

Selectmen will take up the issue again at their next meeting in three weeks.