Good thing we had a GPS. Otherwise, how else would we have found Old Town Road in the Wellesley Farms area? There were no street signs left, just metal stumps from the posts that used to be at intersections with Ox Bow Road on one end and Dean Road at the other.
Remains of the Old Town Road street sign post in Wellesley
Ever since Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” song exploded into our ears this past spring, Old Town Road street signs have become a hot item in Wellesley and elsewhere. (Walpole police say they haven’t heard about this being an issue in their town. We haven’t heard back from Holliston cops, though suspect this is an issue some communities would rather not call attention to).
Old Town Road signs have been swiped at least 3 times in Wellesley since spring at the start of what’s now an 18-week stretch of the Lil Nas X song being atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It looks like Wellesley is letting the chart-topping song cool off before replacing signs there now.
The Wellesley Department of Public Works has been busy this summer with a zillion projects focused on upkeep of roads, sidewalks and more. The last thing they need is people purposefully making new work for them, but that’s what whoever is knocking down or taking signs like these is creating. We saw the street sign for Intervale Road on the ground earlier this summer, and hear Ledyard Street and Greenlawn Avenue signs have been among victims, too. Other prized signs include those of streets with names of colleges like Colgate and Harvard.
According to the Wellesley DPW, the problem comes and goes, but there has been an increase this summer. “The behavior is likely the work of individuals playing pranks, but it costs the Town a lot of time and money to locate, repair — and where the signs and posts are damaged — replace, and reinstall the signs,” says Stephanie Hawkinson, the town’s communications and project manager.
Wellesley DPW workers replacing a street sign
Targeted signs have been discarded everywhere from residents’ yards to town parks to wooded areas to wetlands. The 12-foot-long posts are sometimes stolen along with the signs, though handier vandals have hacksawed off the signs.
A Costly Prank
Wellesley expects to lose a a few signs each winter as casualties of plows, and that’s built into the budget. It’s these additional sign thefts and damages that add strain, as replacement costs are significant.
The DPW provided these figures:
Street Sign (x2 for view from both sides) = ~$50-75 ($100-150 total)
Green (sometimes Black) Post (12’ galvanized square post with die-cut knockouts) = $50
Galvanized Anchor with Hardware = $15
Rain cap, mounting bracket, hardware kit = $6
Other signs that have been known to disappear:
Stop Sign 30” = $75
Deer Crossing Sign 30” = $90
Do Not Enter 30” = $75
One way Sign (two-sided) = $80
And don’t forget about the labor costs. The day rate (8 hours) for a skilled laborer plus equipment costs = $680. This could be broken down into an hourly rate but then other considerations have to be taken for preparation, ordering, mobilization, travel, etc. In general, ordering, assembly and installation of a complete post & sign (not the anchor) takes about 2 hours. If a new anchor needs to be installed, then a call to DigSafe must be made, and that includes marking the intended installation spot. After the 3-day wait, the anchor is installed, which could add up to an hour depending on the digging.
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(Wellesley could borrow a page from Sicamous, British Columbia, which has responded to a rash of Old Town Road sign thefts there by producing replicas of the signs and selling them for $25 apiece, according to DH News, Vancouver. Wellesley’s Highway Dept. notes that the town’s signs are purchased from a Taunton company and individuals could buy their own Old Town Road signs from the same source.)
Before: Old Town Road sign (Google Maps)
Old Town Road and Ox Bow Road intersection, minus any street signs
Not to be overlooked, beyond the financial cost, is that first responders rely on street signs to get to emergencies. Sure, first responders have GPS, but if the signs are missing or moved, it can delay response times.
“[It] could mean life or death for someone in need,” Hawkinson says. “I know it sounds dramatic, but it’s a very real and frightening possibility.”
While Old Town Road continues to ride atop the music charts (“Ridin’ on a horse, ha, You can whip your Porsche…”), luckily for Wellesley we have no street signs in town bearing names of some of the other current hits like “Sucker” and “Ran$om.”
There are at least some signs that you’re on Old Town Road
P.S. We knew this story would go viral, and we’d like to thank news outlets like Boston Magazine, the Boston Globe and NECN for giving us credit as the original source.
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Bonus: A little Old Town Road history lesson
We reached out to the Wellesley Historical Society to learn about Old Town Road’s past. Here’s what Taylor Kalloch, Archivist & Collections Manager, had to say:
We don’t have a ton of information regarding the history of Old Town Road. Below is what I was able to find.
The entry for Old Town Road from the Wellesley Historical Society Street Name Index, which explains the origin of over 500 street names in Wellesley reads:
“Old Town Road: Char. W Hubbard dev. Named by Miss Marion Niles, probably as it was in area of town first developed This road was part of original Glen Rd. present location on Glen was not the original location [?] It was Rd to Weston.
Wellesley Historical Society Street Name Index
Developer Charles W. Hubbard is mostly associated with development in Weston, MA. The Town of Weston website has two pages with some background information about Charles W. Hubbard and the Chiltern Hundreds Area. Links below:
Marion Niles of the Niles family is associated with the Hundreds or Wellesley Farms neighborhood of Wellesley centered around Hundreds Road and Hundreds Circle.
Old Town Road is not directly mentioned in the descriptions of either Chiltern Hundreds or of the Hundreds Road/ Hundreds Circle area. However, as the road is situated against the line between the towns of Wellesley and Weston it is likely that the development of the road was influenced by and similar to the development taking place both in Wellesley and Weston during the first half of the 20th century.
It’s going to be hot, but the Town of Wellesley, Police and Fire Departments as well as the Wellesley Square merchants, are all in favor of proceeding with the event and are working together to take precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of the animals, shoppers and visitors, workers and entertainers. Here’s more information on how they’re going to accomplish that.
In Wellesley, residents are required to have permits for yard sales, estate sales, auctions, block parties and other activities. These permits are issued by the Board of Selectmen; please note the specific guidelines and fees for each activity.
Apply for permits online once you know the date of your activity. You may pay by credit card (preferred) or by bringing a check, payable to Town of Wellesley, to the Treasurer’s Office during regular business hours.
Payment is required before your permit is issued. Please allow for at least five (5) days to process your application.
Help Wellesley plan for success
The Town of Wellesley is looking for a candidate for Planning Director to work on issues related to planning, zoning, economic development, preservation, growth and sustainability.
The Director will manage, direct and administer municipal land use planning, zoning, and subdivision control programs within the Town as delineated by state statute and Town Bylaws and Zoning Bylaws while reporting to the Planning Board. Will serve as the Town’s principle professional advisor and resource on planning and development issues, providing technical expertise and professional techniques for the Board and the Town.
Wellesley Public Schools re-opens Director of Diversity search
Some of the responsibilities of the Wellesley Public Schools Director of Diversity will include formulating a strategic plan to support district diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; deepen community awareness, understanding, and respect for diversity, equity and inclusion; oversee the METCO program; and work collaboratively with the A Better Chance program. More information here.
It was a sickening picture on a popular Wellesley-residents social media page. The raccoon had been trapped and, while still alive, tossed cage and all into Reeds Pond in Wellesley. The sturdy enclosure, about 4.5-feet long by 1.5-feet wide, was almost entirely submerged. There was only just enough room in the metal cage for the animal to keep herself above the water line, provided she wriggle her body just so. Her strength soon ran out, and she died in the trap before a resident came upon the grisly scene. Animal Control Office Sue Webb, who responded to the call says, “She was a nursing female so there are babies starving somewhere. She was crunched to the top section and died there trying to stay above water line. Of course no markings on the trap as to ownership.” Somewhere nearby, her helpless litter of kits most likely didn’t survive the loss of their mother.
Reeds Pond, Wellesley
If you’ve ever had unwanted animals in your yard, you know how difficult border control can be. We humans all think Wellesley is a great place to live and raise a family, and so does a profusion of chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons, deer, rabbits, snakes, coyotes, foxes, woodpeckers, and woodchucks. So common are such critters in town it’s frankly no wonder that gardens are ravished in the night; garbage cans treated like an unlimited cruise ship buffet; and crawl spaces turned into rent-free Airbnbs.
Whether these animals are wanted or unwanted (and that point of view varies widely from human to human), to relegate them to a horrific death such as the one suffered by the Reeds Pond raccoon is not only inhumane, it’s illegal. Although that makes it sound as if the law is on the side of the critters, they actually have very few advantages. True, it’s illegal to drown or relocate a nuisance animal, but according to the State of Massachusetts just about any animal can be construed as a nuisance and dealt with accordingly. All a human need show is that the animal does one of the following:
Endangers the life and health of humans or domestic animals
Damages your property
Obstructs your reasonable and comfortable use of property
Reeds Pond, Wellesley
The obstruction charge alone is what gets many an animal the death penalty. Trapping nuisance animals isn’t illegal during prescribed times of year, and virtually anyone 12 years of age and older can get a license to do so. However, the trapping of any animal is not allowed during breeding months. The upcoming trapping season for raccoons is November 1, 2018 – February 29, 2020.
Natural Resources Commission Director Brandon Schmitt says, “Beyond being very saddened by the lack of empathy for a living creature, this act was a crime. Trapping requires a license and must be performed during specific times of year, and all traps must be clearly labeled with their owner’s information. I’m especially troubled by the lack of respect for the public space that this incident demonstrates, not to mention the possible threats to public health. As we know from our efforts to reduce pesticides, whatever ends up in our surface waters has the potential to enter the drinking water supply, and intentionally dumping animals and traps in the ponds is beyond gross and inhumane, it poses a very real health risk.”
It’s also a no to the trap-and-release idea. “That’s how rabies spread up the east coast,” Webb said. In addition, a relocated animal is an animal at risk. It may be hit by a vehicle while traveling back home; it will likely struggle to find food, water, and shelter in a new area, possibly leading to death; and the area may already be home to a member of the same species who likely will not welcome the newcomer, causing conflict, stress, or even death.
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It’s probably the rare homeowner who hasn’t foiled a mouse or two with a trap, or called on a Licensed Problem Animal Control agent to get the squirrels out of the attic for good. Sometimes the deeds must be done to maintain a sanitary and safe home environment. The outrage over the Reeds Pond raccoon stems from the absolute disregard for life and the distinct lack of respect for wild animals. That lack of respect was also directed at humans, as it was disgusting to defile the popular fishing spot with a raccoon sentenced to the death penalty.
There are times when the Town has targeted animals as a nuisance and moved toward eliminating them from certain areas. Schmitt says, “The NRC recently had to make the very difficult decision to remove beavers from State Street [Pond]. This decision was not one that was made lightly. We are fortunate to have one of the leading experts in beaver control located in the state, with whom we have consulted in a few locations in Town, including State Street. Mike Callahan from Beaver Solutions advocates generally for coexistence as a first option, and only recommended trapping beavers at State Street when other options were not feasible. Beavers at State Street are not drowned, rather caught in live traps and dispatched offsite.” Dispatched means killed, as relocation is not legal.
State Street Pond, Wellesley. When I took this pic on Wednesday, July 3, a cormorant was sunning itself in the middle of a pond, perched on a fallen tree branch.
Schmitt says, “I think I can speak for the board that they loathe making this decision, but will continue to have this conversation at their meetings until a viable solution is found that allows us to coexist at that location. The public is welcome to submit comments or join the conversation about beaver management on Town land at any time.”
State Street Pond, also known as Skating Pond, is located in Fuller Brook Park in the Memorial Grove area, near the Wellesley High School Track and Field. In 2015 as part of the Fuller Brook Park project, the pond was dredged and restored. Nearly 150 truck trips were made from the State Street parking lot to a landfill in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, to remove the more than 4,000 tons of sediment that were dredged. The pond today is a healthy, running body of water. That it attracts beavers is a testament to the success of its renovation. Schmitt says the town will continue to seek ways to coexist at the site with the dam-building, semi-aquatic rodents.
Ways to humanely handle nuisance wildlife issues:
Sue Webb had several recommendations on how to handle unwanted wildlife on private property:
First and foremost, cut off their food source. “I often get calls around 4pm from people who think a rabid animal is in their yard. What’s really happening is the animal has gone out in search of food to bring back to its babies. That’s why I tell people to make sure their garage doors are down before 4pm. If they get in there once and find food, they’ll keep coming back to see if maybe you left the door open again.”
Keep your compost in a secure container. Composting is great for the environment and the resulting black gold does wonders for the garden. A big pile of fruit and veggie scraps is an attractant to animals, however. Either use a compost tumbler (or other enclosed system), or take advantage of the town’s food waste program.
Don’t feed your pets outside.
Remove bird feeders from your property. As those who have a feeder can tell you, they attract more than just birds. So far there’s no problem with bears in Wellesley, but they love bird feeders, too.
Never deliberately feed wildlife, as they can lose their natural fear of humans. They don’t need human intervention to survive.
Cut off crawl spaces under porches, decks, and sheds. Webb says, “Fence the crawl spaces with chicken wire around them and about a foot down underground. If you’ve seen an animal going in and out, do the fencing except for one part where you can put a piece of cardboard as a way for the animal to get in and out. If you see that the cardboard has been knocked out of the way, you know the animal is still living under there. Once you see the cardboard has stayed in one place for a few days, you can finish the fencing because you know the animal has moved on and you won’t be trapping it in the space.”
Epilogue
I took a right onto Woodside Avenue and pulled up alongside Reeds Pond. I needed to update Swellesley’s file photos of the 2-acre body of water with an average depth of 2.5-feet, and it was a good excuse to get outside. As I put the car into park, I looked up to see a man dumping several goldfish from a plastic bag, over the railing, and into the pond.
“How come you dumped the goldfish into the pond?” I asked.
“We weren’t feeding them right at my house. The boys…” he trailed off.
Due to a water main break along River Street in Wellesley, water service is restricted to all homes and businesses in the area of River Street and along Washington Street from River Street to Columbia Street. Repair work will begin at 5pm on July 1, 2019 and continue until completed. Traffic delays in the area are expected and drivers are asked to avoid the area.
For years I’ve experimented with navigation techniques to maneuver through the Brook/Benvenue/Radcliffe intersection. Although I’ve never run the Subaru aground in that area, it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing, either. That convergence of three streets is a lawless place where stop signs seem like suggestions and the island, shaped like a right triangle, is somehow all wrong. Once I asked for driving advice from a passenger and Radcliffe Road resident. He was seven years old. “How does your mom handle this part?” I asked my back-seat rider, who was flattered and thrilled to be promoted to back-seat driver.
“She first goes right, then goes left really quickly so she can beat the other cars coming from that way,” he said with confidence.
My driving instructor is now a twenty-something college student, and I still follow his advice. No matter which way I approach the Bermuda Triangle of Wellesley intersections, I go really quickly so I can beat the other cars coming from every which way but loose. Let’s just say we’ve all been lucky.
Now the town has decided to put an end to this fun, once and for all. This from the Department of Public Works (DPW):
Road Work on Brook & Benvenue Streets Begins on July 1
Looking toward Brook Street at the Brook St., Benvenue St., and Radcliffe Rd. intersection.
The DPW will begin work on the Brook Street & Benvenue Street Intersection Improvement Project on July 1, 2019. The project will reconfigure the Brook Street, Benvenue Street and Radcliffe Road intersection.
Plans include removing the traffic island, relocating utility poles, improving drainage, and installing sidewalk, wheelchair ramps and granite curbing. Some residential driveways at the intersection will be reconfigured and DPW will also add guardrails, new pavement and pavement markings, signs and landscaping.
Work will take place Monday through Friday between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Police details will be on-site during construction to minimize impacts to traffic, parking, and other roadway functions.
A minimum of one lane of traffic in each direction will be open in the area throughout the majority of the project.
The work is scheduled to be completed in October 2019.
