Traffic Commission tables making Hancock St. one way until residents are notified

By Barbara Taormina

At their meeting last week, the Traffic Commission ripped through a full agenda of public hearings and requests from city officials related to one of Revere’s most talked about topics, traffic. The meeting was chaired by City Planner Frank Stringi, who kept the discussion moving fast enough to adjourn after 19 minutes.

The commission voted to table a discussion on traffic improvements on Harris Street. Stringi explained that more information about the project was coming from traffic engineers and it made sense to wait.

The commission did open a public hearing on former Councillor-at-Large Steven Morabito’s request, made in July, to make Hancock Street a one way heading toward Mountain Avenue. Paul Argenzio, the new city councillor for Ward 4, asked the commission to also table this issue until February.

Argenzio, who is now retired from the city’s Dept. of Public Works and served on the Traffic Commission for years, said problems with major changes like the one proposed for Hancock Street arise because residents aren’t always aware of a change that will affect their daily lives. “It’s my intention to send a letter out to everyone on Hancock Street to see what their reasoning was to change to one way,” Argenzio told the commission. Commissioners agreed with Argenzio and voted to postpone the hearing on making Hancock Street a one way.

The commission also held a hearing on Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky’s proposal to install a stop sign on Shirley Avenue eastbound on Thorton Street. “This is something that’s been talked about for a long time,” said Novoselsky, who added that speeding in the area has been a chronic problem.

“We thought a stop sign at Thorton Street would make a three-way stop, slow everyone down and make people aware of what’s going on,” said Novoselsky, who stressed it was a public safety issue. The commission agreed and approved the sign.

Stringi also presented three motions from City Council President Anthony Cogliandro for stop signs on Harris Street northbound at Sewell Street, on Blaney Street northbound at Constitution Avenue, and at Cooledge Street southbound at Constitution Avenue. Those motions along with a proposal to restrict parking on Sewall Street west from Harris Street 50 feet on the southern side along the fence of the housing. Those proposals will move on to public hearings.