The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

Wellesley Transportation Department presents 2020 – 21 school bus info

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School buses. Mass Bay Community CollegeWe never thought we’d find a reminder to pay up for school bus service as a sign of hope, but these days we’ll take any kind of glimmer. With schools closed due to corona virus concerns since March 13 and scheduled to remain so until Monday, May 4, it can seem hard to believe that kids will ever get back into the classroom.

But if the Transportation Department is planning bus service details for the upcoming 2021-22 school year, then we’re on board. Here are the details:

In accordance with State regulations and School Committee policy, free transportation will be provided for students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 residing more than 2 miles from your school. WPS will continue to offer fee-based transportation services to all other students (that is, students who live fewer than two miles from school or students in grades 7 through 12).

Wellesley has held the fee next year at $521 per student, with a family cap of $1,142, same as last year. In other words, when there are more than two children in a family participating in the fee-based transportation program, the fee for the third child is $100 and any additional child thereafter is free. The deadline for online registration with payment in full is April 17, 2020.

Bus eligibility by street, online fee payment, and more info here.

For questions, contact Deane McGoldrick, Transportation Coordinator, 781-446-6210 x5614

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Linden Square

Wellesley road safety concerns yield meeting on March 10

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The Wellesley Traffic Committee will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, March 10, at the Wellesley Police Department to discuss safety improvements at 2 intersections.

Residents and neighbors are invited to give feedback on a plan to add additional stop signs at the Curve Street, Sunset Road and Harvard Street intersection. Discussion will begin at 6 p.m.

 

 

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Danger zone: Curve/Harvard/Sunset intersection

According to Wellesley Police Lt. Scott Showstead, the police have had “a lot of complaints from the Harvard/Curve Street residents about vehicles cutting through the neighborhood while traveling between Weston Rd, Linden St, and Oak St. Harvard and Sunset cross each other and then Harvard intersects with Curve. None of the intersections are currently posted with any signage. It is somewhat of an untraditional intersection, so we explored some options that would make the right of ways and rules of the road clearer to vehicles traveling on what were traditionally less travelled neighborhood roadways. There is no significant crash data, however, the geometry of the intersections and data we collected on traffic patterns lends enough support to discuss the potential installation of 1 to 3 stop signs.”

At 7:30 p.m., you can give feedback on a plan to add a stop sign on Linden Street at the intersection of the Rockland Street bridge.

According to Lt. Showstead: “When the Rockland Street bridge was redone some years ago the installation of a stop sign was discussed for Linden Street traffic heading east, however, a warning sign about traffic crossing from over the bridge was installed instead. Over time that intersection has been the topic of numerous complaints and inquiries about who has the right of way. We asked Beta Engineering to look at the intersection and after consultation with the Traffic Committee it was determined that the installation of a stop sign would improve safety and clarify the right of way at the intersection. There is no significant crash data for this intersection either, but there are many passed on stories of near misses and confusion.”

If you are unable to attend the hearing but would like to send comments prior to the meeting date, please email Wellesley Police Lt. Scott Showstead.

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It’s MBTA shuttle time in Wellesley for the weekends

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There will be no weekend commuter rail train service between South Station and Framingham through May so that the MBTA can continue work on a safety system called Positive Train Control. Shuttle buses will replace trains on all 3 Wellesley commuter rail stops.

Shuttle buses will not stop at the following stations:

  • South Station
  • Lansdowne
  • Boston Landing
  • Newtonville
  • West Newton
  • Auburndale

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Wellesley Transportation provides airport, local, and long-distance service

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Wellesley TransportationSPONSORED POST: Let Wellesley Transportation help you and your family with all your transportation needs. Owned and operated by Thomas Shinnick since 1995, Wellesley Transportation, formerly known as College Taxi, has been proudly serving Wellesley and the surrounding communities for over 90 years. Originally established in 1926, Wellesley Transportation provides on-time airport, local and long-distance transportation in luxury vehicles. For reservations, call or text 781-235-2200.

If the idea of driving to the airport exhausts you before you even start your trip, let Wellesley Transportation’s professional licensed livery service get you there. Trade in the stress of fighting traffic and finding parking for a reliable, service-oriented, and safe experience.

All Wellesley Transportation drivers are commercially insured and registered, with spotless driving records.

Wellesley Transportation can:

Transport you both locally or long-distance

Pick up visitors from the airport and bring them to your door

Meet you or your visitors at convenient designated limo areas at the airport

Get all passengers and baggage safely into the vehicle

Thomas’ excellent communication skills will ensure that you will get the right vehicle to transport your entire party to your destination. For reservations, call or text 781-235-2200.

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How Wellesley Police will enforce new hands-free cellphone law

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I sometimes occupy my mind while walking Wellesley’s streets by tracking the % of drivers I see looking at their cellphones. It’s often disturbingly high, like 75% or more some mornings on Linden Street near the train station. Though I only noticed about 1 out of 15 during my latest count on that strip, and he was using the down-low method where I couldn’t be absolutely sure it was a phone he was viewing.The Wellesley Police Department, professionally trained in such observations, will soon be taking a sharper look at such driver behavior in light of the new Hands-Free free going into effect in Massachusetts on Feb. 23.

The law essentially prohibits you from holding a mobile/electronic device while driving. All operation of the mobile device has to be in a hands-free manner with very exceptions, such as making a 911-call. No, you can’t check your texts while stopped at a red light. Drivers under the age of 18 are already restricted from any mobile device use, including in hands-free mode, while driving.

Until March 31, 2020, drivers who violate this law will be issued a warning.  After that, drivers could receive a $100 fine the first time, then $250 plus a distracted driving program on second offense, and $500 and a whole ugly prize package for three or more offenses

This will replace the previous law MGL Chapter 90 section 13 which allowed the use of a mobile phone as long as one hand remained on the steering wheel

I asked Wellesley Police Lt. Marie Cleary how the local force would be enforcing the new law. She says,  “This is a law that will be enforced as violations are observed.  It would likely be pretty apparent to an officer if a motorist is talking on their cell phone when it is not in ‘hands free mode.’  If a motorist is holding the cell phone in their hand, holding it to their ear, etc.”

I also asked whether Wellesley tracks crashes tied to phone use.

“Currently the information that is tracked for driver contributions to crashes does not specify phone use,” Cleary says. “There is a code that tracks if a driver was distracted, but that could be for many reasons.”

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Wellesley MLP pushing electric vehicles

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Wellesley drives electric

Wellesley’s Municipal Light Plant has put on its public relations hat and is encouraging residents to learn more about electric vehicles.

The MLP’s new Wellesley Drives Electric website includes information on rebates and incentives for MLP customers who own or want to buy an electric vehicle, as well as event and other information. The MLP provides customers with incentives to charge their vehicles at off-peak times, for example.

This complements other MLP efforts to support energy efficiency among its customers.

The MLP’s effort comes at a time when electric vehicle prices are starting to get a bit closer to those of traditional vehicles.

The MLP is partnering with Energy New England, which serves municipal utilities in the northeast.

Other energy providers, like National Grid, are promoting similar programs, which include new infrastructure to support electric vehicle charging.

More: Getting charged up in Wellesley

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Make your Wellesley street improvement wishes known on map, at public hearing

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You have 2 chances to give input on the future of Wellesley’s streets: on this interactive map and at a public hearing on Feb. 5 at 7:30pm at the Wellesley Police Station.

Wellesley is participating in the Complete Streets program though a $35,000 state grant that would go toward technical assistance and construction funding for improvement projects, which could include everything from new rotaries to bike lanes and trails.

Complete Streets map

Through Feb. 7 you can submit your suggestions on an interactive Complete Streets map, which is divvied up by quick fixes, current opportunities and future improvements.

Prior the Complete Streets public hearing on Feb. 5, the Wellesley Traffic Committee will host a presentation and discussion at 6 p.m. on the updated redesign of the rotary at the intersection of Great Plain Avenue, Wellesley Avenue and Seaver Street.

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Wellesley Schools redistricting proposal has families concerned

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In a slideshow presentation to the community about redistricting Wellesley’s elementary schools, followed by a question and answer session, Superintendent David Lussier laid out the Redistricting Team’s goals to create student enrollment parity across the town’s seven K – 5 schools. This two-hour evening meeting took place at the Middle School auditorium (we’ve embedded Wellesley Public Media’s recording below).

Lussier, along with the Redistricting Team, put forward a plan he said would realign districts to accommodate upcoming housing construction projects. In all, there are 10 developments totaling almost 700 units expected to be built. The Great Plain Avenue project with 44 units, under construction now, is one example.

Wellesley redistricting
Supt. David Lussier , presenting on Wellesley Schools redistricting.

Although the meeting was not about the larger School Building Committee (SBC) project to rebuild Hunnewell and rebuild either Hardy or Upham, Lussier said, “we know we have to redistrict as part of that…Our goal tonight is to talk about the redistricting maps to make sure everybody understands the methodology that was applied.”

The redistricting team, some of whom were in attendance, is made up of Cindy Mahr, Asst. Superintendent of Finance and Operations; Deane McGoldrick, Transportation Director; Jeff Dees, Upham School Principal; Charlene Cook, Hardy School Principal; Matt Kelley, School Committee rep; members from the AppGeo consultant staff, consultants hired to assist in the redistricting effort; and one parent representative from each of the seven elementary schools.

The presentation to the crowd of about 40 was a repeat of the one given to the School Committee on Jan. 21st. The same presentation and will be given again in a Jan. 28th, 9am – 11am presentation to the community at the WMS auditorium.

Four redistricting plans were outlined — two each for a scenario that included a new Hardy or a new Upham. The earliest a redistricting plan would be implemented would be in 2024, to coincide with a school rebuild.

A hot-button issue for attendees was walkability and students having to cross Route 9, something the current districting requires they do now, and something that isn’t going to go away with the new plan. One parent said, “It seems to me the worst possible scenario ” that kids will have to cross Route 9 to get to school.”

A parent and former police officer in the crowd took issue with the idea of what’s used to define walkability. “It’s not just distance, it’s safety,” he said, pointing out that many of the secondary roads in town on walk-to-school routes have no sidewalks. “Kids and cars sharing the road is a recipe for disaster,” he said.

You can see each of the four redistricting maps here, along with the entire redistricting presentation. The presentation drills down extensively into enrollment reports over the past twelve years, capacity numbers, how student locations throughout town were geocoded, and more.

Each map includes an evaluation of walkability, drivability, and projected capacity. The seven parent volunteers on the committee, one from each elementary school, provided legacy knowledge on natural neighborhood boundaries and how they might be kept intact.

All numbers in the presentation are based on the baseline assumption that each of the elementary schools will have 18 sections and that there will be balanced enrollment across all districts while achieving district classroom guidelines. Those guidelines are 22 students per class in K – 2 and 24 students per class in grades 3 – 5. Wellesley’s enrollment projection numbers are here.

Next up: on Feb. 11, one redistricting recommendation per school will be made to the School Committee.

Any redistricting plan still will have to be presented on the floor of Town Meeting.

“The real goal is to create parity in enrollment,” Lussier said. “There will be disruption for some families.”

And such disruption is the crux of the issue. The mood of the crowd was at times chilly, particularly around the issues of students starting at one school and being redistricted to another.

Here’s a survey about the redistricting issue. All residents, not just those with current school-age children, are encouraged to fill out the survey.

 

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