Editor’s note: Wellesley Middle School Social Studies students as part of a Civics Action Project have this week taken over The Swellesley Report‘s letters-to-the-editor page. The students are well-versed in their topics, have carefully researched all angles, and are ready to present their opinions to the community. Thank you to the WMS Social Studies teachers for organizing this community-based project.
To the editor:
Weston road needs a change for future generations. Weston Road should be repaved, have added speed bumps, and granite curbing to prevent future accidents. Weston Road is busy, and it’s not a safe place for kids as it is one of the few north-south routes connecting Route 9 to Wellesley and Weston. It is almost entirely residential and is a local route for driving and walking to nearby elementary schools like Bates and Hardy, and a local market, for example. The lack of detour routes can cause traffic accidents and accidents with bikers.
People have died on Weston Road. In August of 2012, a truck killed a cyclist on Weston Road. Additionally, in August of 2014 there was a crash near Fells Market very soon after Wellesley Middle School and the high school let out. Kids could easily have been injured. Weston Road is currently not a safe place for drivers, walkers, or bikers, and especially students. There have been many near accidents and narrowly avoided crashes because of the lack of safety and poor conditions of the road. If Weston Road doesn’t get fixed, another accident could happen sooner than we would expect. Adding more speed bumps could slow down cars in certain places, and the chance of someone getting hurt would be lower. Currently, Weston Road has an average width of 25 feet, with narrow sidewalks that are about 4-feet wide. The curbs are 4-inches tall, and very worn out. By restoring the road, accidents could be more definitely avoided, and they would become much less likely than they are now.
The only way to avoid future accidents on Weston road is to repave and fix the road. You might think that the future of Weston Road isn’t important, but imagine if someone you loved was injured or worse.
Sincerely,
Fiona Coogan
