Crosswalk looks to be one step closer
Charlotte may have moved closer to getting a crosswalk from the senior center to the post office, but it’s not quite there yet.
On Monday, Sept. 9, the selectboard discussed a proposal for a crosswalk that would run from the eastern corner of the Charlotte Senior Center across Ferry Road to the western corner of the property where the post office is.
The senior center parking lot fills up fast, so lots of people who come for lunches or are volunteering park at the town hall, which means lots of people crossing the road without a crosswalk. The selectboard said they had heard lots of requests for one to be installed.
Lori York, senior center director, indicates where the proposed sidewalk would be.
Senior center director Lori York said that on Monday they had served almost 70 people lunch. She said she has often seen a senior center participant almost hit by a vehicle when they cross Ferry Road.
This design would have the crosswalk running diagonally, instead of straight, across the street. Some board members and residents were concerned about having a diagonal crosswalk.
One of those was Maura Wygmans, who said that it seemed unusual for a crosswalk to run at a diagonal and questioned why it couldn’t be straight across.
Chair Jim Faulkner responded that their research found it was not unusual. He said a crosswalk straight across from the southeastern corner of the senior center would run to the private property at 213 Ferry Road, where there is a ditch.
Nor does the design presented run from the western corner of the Charlotte Volunteer Fire and Rescue property straight across to the post office because there had been pushback from the fire department, Faulkner said.
For years, the fire department has periodically expressed concerns about vehicles parked in the driveway it shares with the senior center that might obstruct emergency vehicles leaving for an emergency call.
It appeared that the selectboard had reached a consensus on the proposed diagonal sidewalk, but no vote was taken.
Instead, the conversation turned to how much it would cost. Faulkner wasn’t sure what the cost of having the crosswalk painted would be, but it didn’t seem like it would be a big expense. Two signs on either side of the street warning of the crosswalk should cost about $70 apiece for a total of around $140.
Board member Frank Tenney recommended delaying the vote until Faulkner could confirm how much a painting a crosswalk will cost as well as support from the fire department and the owners of the property where the post office is located.
So, that’s where the proposal is now.