When the Council on Aging reopens in Hildreth House March 1, the members of the 8 a.m. men’s coffee group might need that extra jolt of caffeine to navigate the new traffic patterns created while Hildreth was under renovation. Although the streets and driveways that are now one-way have been used during various phases of the Town Hall and Hildreth House construction projects over the past two years, the new traffic flow in this area has never been tested with all of the surrounding facilities open for business. Lane striping and painted stop lines will eventually provide visual aids for drivers, but for the next few months, residents will have to rely on vigilance, common sense, and courtesy to navigate the area.
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At the heart of the new traffic flow is a one-car-deep “connector” that traffic to and from Hildreth House, the fire station, or Town Hall might be channeled through, depending on where it is coming from. Kyle Burchard of Goldsmith, Prest & Ringwall, the engineering firm that designed the connector, said it is meant to slow drivers down and provide right-of-way guidance in spots where traffic paths may cross. Traffic going to and from Hildreth House has always crossed over some portion of the sea of asphalt between the fire station and Town Hall. But now that the driveways both behind and in front of Town Hall are one-way, the increased possibilities of cars crossing paths to get to Hildreth House, Town Hall, or the fire station called for something more formal.
Three signs have been installed to guide drivers through the connector area (see photo below). A “wrong way” sign reminds drivers that the section of the Hildreth House driveway behind Town Hall is now one-way from Ayer Road toward Hildreth House. A stop sign has been installed at the Hildreth driveway end of the connector to make drivers stop and wait until the Hildreth driveway is clear before turning left to go up to Hildreth House. A yield sign, although placed in a confusing spot because of the amount of asphalt in the area, is meant to inform drivers that traffic going to and coming from the fire station has the right of way. Burchard said that in the spring, when the final binder course of asphalt is laid, stop lines will be painted at both ends of the connector to remind drivers to stop before turning.
Confused? The signs now in place offer only half the story. After the arrows are painted on the pavement, the meaning of the signs should become clearer. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)
Painted lines will help guide
Burchard also said that white lines will be painted along the edges of the driveway in the spring, so that drivers leaving Hildreth House will be guided to the connector and won’t cross too early into the fire station area. Fire Chief Rick Sicard has said several times that he would like to dedicate an area next to the Hildreth driveway as additional parking for firefighters, and the Planning Board and the Hildreth House Construction Committee are discussing the possibility of installing a guardrail along the outer edge of the Hildreth House driveway where it curves down the hill, so that drivers will not cross prematurely. Those plans are currently on hold, though, pending the outcome of an engineering study commissioned by the Housing@Hildreth House Committee. TTI Environmental Inc., the firm performing the study, will develop a preliminary site plan for senior housing on the Hildreth property that will include options for access to the development. Town Planner Bill Scanlan said that depending on the results of that study, which might include an access route that uses a portion of the Hildreth House driveway, the Planning Board may take another look at the traffic flow in what it calls the Town Hall campus.
‘It is New England’
Sicard told the Press that as far as he knows, traffic flow plans for this area have not yet been finalized, but he added that firefighters will always use a flashing red light when driving to the fire station for an emergency call to let drivers know to yield to them. Burchard said that despite the opportunities for confusion, the area is very open, so drivers should be able to see each other, and the signs should at least slow traffic down. “But it is New England,” he added, “and some things can’t be corrected by any amount of signs.”
Navigating the new Town Hall area
Coming from Elm Street
- When you reach the Town Hall area, no matter your destination, yield to traffic going to or from the new connector or the fire station.
- Going to Hildreth House: Turn left toward the fire station, turn right into the connector, stop at the stop sign, turn left into the Hildreth House driveway when it is clear.
- Going to Town Hall: Turn right toward Town Hall.
- Going to the fire station: Turn left toward the fire station. While you do have the right of way, use caution and watch for drivers exiting the connector, especially until stop lines are painted in the connector.
Coming from the Hildreth House driveway off Ayer Road
- Going to Hildreth House: No yields, no stops, just drive up top.
- Going to Town Hall or the fire station: Turn left into the connector, yielding to traffic leaving Hildreth House. When exiting the connector, yield to traffic going up to or down from the fire station (there will eventually be a stop bar painted on the asphalt here). As you drive to Town Hall, you have the right of way, but watch for cross-traffic from Elm Street.
Exiting to Ayer Road
- Leaving Hildreth House: Drive down the driveway and turn right into the connector. Turn left toward Town Hall, yielding to traffic going up to or down from the fire station (there will eventually be a stop line painted on the asphalt here). As you drive toward the exit onto Ayer Road, you have the right of way, but watch for cross-traffic from Elm Street.
- Leaving the fire station: Drive to the Ayer Road exit in front of Town Hall. While you do have the right of way, use caution and watch for drivers exiting the connector and for cross-traffic from Elm Street.
