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Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

Does Wellesley need a new traffic light? Slow down before you drive to any conclusions

January 25, 2023 by Deborah Brown 1 Comment

The Town of Wellesley is mulling over the pros and cons of installing a traffic light at what might be the toughest meeting place in town—the Cedar, Hastings, and Hunnewell intersection. That challenging area near Fiske Elementary School brings not only upwards of 7,000 vehicles a day, but a lot of baggage to the discussion on what do do with them all.

As things stand right now, the Town must decide if installing a traffic light would be significantly beneficial in this complicated location, and they’re looking for residents’ input. Share your thoughts at a Zoom meeting on Monday, Jan. 30 at 6:00 p.m. Please sign up in advance.

intersection hunnewell hastings

Where the rubber meets the road

In a report from the town’s Traffic Committee, a laundry list of challenges at the busy roadway were ticked off. Poor sight lines. The awkward geometry of the roadway. Ingrained behaviors of those who travel the route.

The town has looked at installing a mirror to aid drivers. Apparently, that wouldn’t be pretty. “A mirror is not a solution at this location based upon the sight distance, speed and volume of vehicles,” the Traffic Committee said in its report.

How about a roundabout? The research suggests that could work for the nameless, faceless 7,000 who zip through the current intersection daily. But for the six Wellesley homeowners who would have to give up significant land to the town to make a roundabout work? Not so much.

What about speed bumps? The Wellesley Traffic Committee isn’t a fan, citing expected limited effectiveness as well as undesirable results such as increased noise and exhaust, as well as vehicle damage.

How about one of those flashing yellow lights? The Committee says a flashing yellow light would likely have little to no effect on driver behavior. Seems the regulars know the terrain, they navigate it in their own way, and are unlikely to be bossed around by the kind of light that, let’s face it, most people take as a suggestion.

Perhaps make Hastings Street a one-way from Cedar St. toward Fiske School? The Committee says such a plan “would create less overall traffic at the intersection, since there would no longer be exiting traffic. It would remove the uncomfortable turn exiting Hastings St, thereby removing the most difficult sight lines for turning.”

Good points, but the Committee also points out that Hastings Street residents would have to leave their homes only in one direction, and Fiske school traffic would be forced onto surrounding streets. Doesn’t sound like a plan for neighborhood harmony.

The Committee, feeling that there are limited options to mitigating concerns at this intersection, is seeking a resolution that is, at the very least, “significantly beneficial at this location.” A full-blown traffic light could go up. Calling it a solution to the problem would be a stretch. The good news: ease of entering and exiting the minor roads (Hasting/McLean) would likely improve with the addition of a fully signalized traffic light. The bad news: the roadway sight lines are poor, which could cause an increase in rear end collisions. Traffic backups are likely, as is an increase in emissions from stop-and-go traffic.

This call-and-response of “here’s an idea” and “here’s why it won’t work” is what the Committee is talking about when they said in their report, “Addressing one situation will likely cause the worsening of a different situation.”

Share your thoughts at a Zoom meeting on Monday, Jan. 30 at 6p.m. Please sign up in advance.

If you are unable to take part in the Zoom meeting, please email comments to dpw@wellesleyma.gov


A swell memory

If you sense that Mrs. Swellesley seems just a teensy bit more excited about traffic reporting than your average journalist, you’d be right. Her dad was a transportation engineer for the City of New Haven. Working through thorny traffic problems like the one above was regular dinner conversation. By the time I could see over the dash of the family Oldsmobile, I could point out a jug-handle turn; tell you why a particular intersection experienced high-efficient (or low-efficient) traffic flow; and knew why signs that said, “don’t event THINK of parking here” weren’t funny. Answer: parking is serious business, not a joke, missy.

Keep the clouds moving in a free-flow manner up there, dad.


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Filed Under: Government, Safety, Transportation

Linden Square, Wellesley
Riverbend, Natick

Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue

January 24, 2023 by admin 3 Comments

From the Wellesley police:

On Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at 10:19 a.m. a two vehicle motor vehicle crash occurred at the intersection of Grove Street and Benvenue Street in Wellesley. 

One of the vehicles involved in the crash was a Wellesley Police Department cruiser.  A Wellesley Police Officer was operating the cruiser and was injured.  The Wellesley Fire Department utilized extrication tools to assist in removing the injured officer from the vehicle.  The officer was transported by Cataldo paramedics to a Boston hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Fortunately, there were no injuries to the other operator of the other vehicle involved in the crash. 

The intersection of Grove and Benvenue Street was closed for approximately three hours while an accident reconstruction team investigated the crash. The Needham Police Department and Wellesley Department of Public Works assisted at the scene in diverting traffic and establishing a detour.

 


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Filed Under: Police, Safety

Page Waterman, Wellesley
London Harness, Wellesley
Wellesley Lacrosse

Wellesley Fire Chief Rick DeLorie caps off a 30-year career with department

January 6, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

At a farewell ceremony to mark the retirement of Wellesley Fire Chief Rick DeLorie, over 200 friends, family members, fire chiefs from all over the state, and town employees gathered to say goodbye at the Wellesley Fire Department headquarters on Route 9. DeLorie spent 30 years with the WFD, 14 of those as the top dog leading the town’s 50+ firefighters, administrators, and the special services team.

Wellesley fire department, Rick DeLorie
Select Board members present retiring fire chief Rick DeLorie with a resolution and a framed picture. From left: Rick DeLorie; Colette Aufranc; Tom Ulfelder; Ann-Mara Lanza; Beth Sullivan Woods; and Lise Olney. Photo credit: Stephanie Hawkinson

During a light-hearted ceremony, DeLorie was roasted, applauded, and thanked as he showed up in a professional capacity for Wellesley one last time, looking natty in his dress blues. All DeLorie could do was chuckle warmly when he was tweaked by speakers eager to sing his praises (with a dash of pester).

I’ll spell it out for you

Superintendent David Lussier noted DeLorie’s faithful participation in the yearly town spelling bee, as well as his lackluster performance. “We all had to tell him there was only one ‘r’ in fire,” Lussier said before bragging that “we couldn’t be prouder of our  graduate of Wellesley public schools.”

Police Chief Jack Pilecki, never one to miss a chance to give Rick the business, this time delivered accolades. Pilecki’s so-long basically boiled down to one big lug punching another big lug in the arm so neither one would burst out in tears.

DeLorie climbed many ladders during his career. Some led into burning buildings. Some led to a bachelors and a masters degree from Framingham State. But the one that led to the job as chief was the ladder that most allowed DeLorie to bring others up with him. Whether he was somehow procuring rare personal protective equipment for his department and residents during COVID, serving in industry positions, such as chair of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, president of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts, and metro chief of the Massachusetts Fire Training Council, or working with the Special Olympics, the needs of others always came first.

Some parting gifts

Before the program was done, DeLorie had been given certificates galore (from the Select Board and from Representative Alice Peisch’s office); received swag bags of doodads; and was sent off with wardrobe additions of sweatshirts and t-shirts to wear in retirement.

At the end of the program, DeLorie delivered remarks. Now that he’s leaving, I can admit it. Rick, I’ve never been able to understand a word you said when you spoke into a microphone. So no direct quotes from Rick in this story. But I’m willing to wager he thanked one and all profusely.

Wellesley fire department, Rick DeLorie
During DeLorie’s remarks he thanked his wife, Ellie, for always standing by him. “Every day when I wake up and she’s still there and not a document from a lawyer, I feel blessed. She made everything work, no matter what.” Some things DeLorie articulates loud and clear, microphone challenges notwithstanding. Photo by Stephanie Hawkinson.

 

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A post shared by Swellesley Report (Wellesley) (@theswellesleyreport)


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Filed Under: Careers/jobs, Fire, Safety

Sara Campbell, Wellesley

Sign up to keep your neighborhood Wellesley fire hydrant clear of snow

December 26, 2022 by admin Leave a Comment

Wellesley fire hydrant
Wellesley fire hydrant, Clock Tower Park

The Wellesley Department of Public Works and the Wellesley Fire-Rescue Department are asking for your help clearing fire hydrants of snow in your neighborhood this winter season. There are over 1,400 hydrants in Wellesley and each one is potentially vital in the event of an emergency.

Adopt a hydrant in 4 easy steps.

Filed Under: Safety

Supporters gather to wish all the best to retiring asst. fire chief Jeff Peterson

June 30, 2022 by Deborah Brown 2 Comments

All the best to Wellesley Fire Department’s assistant fire chief Jeff Peterson on his retirement from the department after 37 years of service. A crowd of about 75 well wishers including Jeff’s family and friends, firefighting colleagues, Select Board members, town employees, a representative from Massachusetts State Representative Alice Hanlon Peisch’s office, and town residents gathered at the WFD route 9 headquarters to give him a fond farewell.

Wellesley Fire Department
Fire chief Rick DeLorie, right, presents assistant chief Jeff Peterson with a certificate of participation for his 37 years of service. “I always thought of Rick and I as the Penn and Teller of the fire department. I was the one who didn’t talk,” Peterson said. Then, finding his words, “This fire department was always the best fire department. I’ll miss working with you all.”

 

Wellesley Fire Department
Jeff Peterson is presented with a Wellesley Firefighter’s Leadership award plaque. From left: Select Board vice chair Lise Olney; SB member Ann-Mara Lanza; retiring asst. fire chief Jeff Peterson; SB chair Tom Ulfelder, SB member Colette Aufranc; fire chief Rick DeLorie

 

Wellesley Fire Department
Wellesley police chief Jack Pilecki, after some good-natured ribbing about the rivalry between the police and fire departments, said, “Jeff is always the guy who steps up and builds bridges. It’s always ‘how can I help you? How can we get the job done? How can I assist you?’ “

 

Wellesley Fire Department
Vintage Jeff Peterson

So what’s next for Jeff?

Answer: “I’m going to Disney World.” Literally. He and his family will visit the happiest place on earth later this summer. After that, he says he’ll see us all around town, probably at the Recycling and Disposal Facility.

Filed Under: Fire, Safety

Deland, Gibson, Wellesley
Rick Cram, leader

Wellesley residents demonstrate at Town Hall against gun violence

June 7, 2022 by Deborah Brown

World of Wellesley last week teamed up with the Wellesley Democratic Town Committee and the Wellesley Action Alliance on the front lawn of Town Hall for a demonstration in support of gun control and Black lives in the wake of incidents of gun violence including two mass shootings in May—one in Uvalde, Texas, which left 19 children and two teachers dead, and 17 wounded; and another in at a Buffalo, New York supermarket by an 18-year-old white man that killed ten and injured three in a predominately Black community.

Gun violence, Black lives demonstration, Wellesley
Wellesley residents held signs at a demonstration at Town Hall.

Filed Under: Safety

Wellesley RDF adds flag retirement box to books area

January 25, 2022 by Deborah Brown 1 Comment

According to the U.S. Flag Code, American flags that have seen better days, “should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.” The problem is that most American flags are made of nylon which, when burned, releases toxic fumes. So no, do not throw your frayed flag into the fireplace on a cold winter night and set it ablaze. Instead, bring it to the new flag retirement box at the Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF).

The RDF this month placed one of the USPS-like boxes in the used books area to ensure that old American flags are respectfully treated. RDF Superintendent Jim Manzolini says, “Myself and the staff here have seen far too many flags in the trash compactors and on the floor of the trash building.  We would prefer that flags be folded (correctly). If you need help doing so please stop by the office and someone will help you do so.”

The retired flags are properly disposed of by the Veterans’ Services Officer.

Worn-out flags can also be brought to Town Hall.

Flag disposal, Wellesley
The Wellesley RDF has added a U.S. Flag Retirement box, located in the used books area.

 

RDF Recyclable of the Month—textiles

These include clothing, blankets, gloves, jackets, hats, drapes, bedding, rugs, sneakers, backpacks, etc. (But not American flags. See above.) As long as it’s dry, it can go into the “Textiles Area” of the RDF. Even single sneakers, gloves or mittens without mates, and ratty old and frayed sweaters are acceptable. These poor-condition textiles get recycled, which keeps them out landfills.

Wellesley RDF hours

Mon.-Wed.: 7am-noon
Thur.-Saturday: 7am- 3:45pm
Closed Sundays–(Sunday hours resume April 2022)

Filed Under: Dump, RDF, Safety

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