Belmont Center Redesign Remains Work In Progress

After four public meetings over three months and hours of testimony and pubic discussion, the decided not to officially forward to the plans for the redesign of Belmont Center.

“When you leave here this evening, we will have a pretty good representation about what this will look like," said Glenn Clancy,  director of the , who spearheaded the redesign discussion.

"But there are some details left. So we will not be going from here to the selectmen,” said Clancy at the final meeting held at Town Hall. 

Consultants from BSC Group presented to the committee and public a total of six layouts that focused on certain sections of the Center. Each area highlighted changes that will improve how pedestrians, drivers and bicyclists use the streets and sidewalk in and around Belmont Center. 

The BSC Group's suggestions are at the end of the article.

Substantial changes to traffic flow, such as including roundabouts on either side of the commuter rail underpass and making major streets such as Leonard Street one way traffic, were taken off the table as ideas early in the process due in large part to public disapproval.

Instead, Clancy said, the final design treats traffic flow similar to what it is today.

“We took the approach to start with a clean slate and look at every possible opportunity out there,” said Clancy in a separate interview.

“It looks similar to what it does today in terms of traffic flow, but we can demonstrate clearly how we came to that point,” he said.

Former Traffic Advisory Committee member Ron Sacca voiced his concern over using $95,000 in town funds on the project while the School Committee is having budget difficulties.

Clancy explained that the town has a responsibility to examine the possibility of a redesign regardless of the economic climate.

While the final decision on implementing the suggestions rests in the hands of the Board of Selectmen in consultation with the business community and residents, the chance to revitalize Belmont's main business area and town center was best done as the town is also considering making major repairs to the Center's road infrastructure. 

“If we cannot come to some kind of decision that the Board of Selectmen can support, then we just fix the asphalt and move on. But I believe that a revitalization can happen,” he said. 

During the public discussion, residents agreed that if the roads was changed slightly, parking – the number of spaces and how it can be done – should also be considered. 

“I think there could be a balance here (for all parties’ interest) and I would advocate some amount of change. Maybe keep this design but tweak it a little,” said Channing Road resident Kevin Foley. 

But others struggled with the debate on angled and parallel parking.

The advantage of angle parking is that a larger number of spaces can be placed along Leonard Street in the heart of the center.

Consultant Peter Briere said the argument against angle parking was that crash rates increase 1.3 to 3 times compared to parallel parking, spaces are more difficult to find, and it encourages u-turns and bumpers hanging over onto the side walk.

He noted that angle parking was on Leonard Street for more than 50 years ago but it was unknown why the town decided to switch to parallel.

A long time resident appeared to answer that question.

“The distance between Alexander and Moore Street is very short and we want the sidewalk to be more charming, overhanging bumpers is not very attractive,” said resident Paul Bell. 

Foley countered that some of the most beautiful cities in New England, including Greenwich, Conn. have parallel parking. 

Clancy advised that a separate parking study be conducted to resolve those outstanding issues.

Traffic Committee members said they are still working out minor details, such as the future use of the triangle-shaped open space in front of the Belmont Savings Bank on Leonard Street and the nearby taxi stand.

Traffic Chairwoman Linda Nickens referred to times when the state funding projects to improve the center were "tossed out" because some residents disagreed with certain aspects of past plans.

“When you think about this plan, please do not think of your own vision of it … please think about the whole community and the whole center. I would hate for this to come to a grinding halt,” she asked. 

BSC Group's recommendations: 

• Channing Road between Concord Avenue and Cross Street: Propose to close up the wide open spaces with new extending curbing and rebuild the pavement. One parking spot will be lost. Parking on the south side only. 

• Leonard Street  between Pleasant Street and Alexander Avenue: Propose a bicycle lane, new sidewalks with existing width, reset curbing and pull curb out, replace existing grass strips. Parking will stay as is.

• Leonard Street between Alexander Avenue and Moore Street: Propose  a bicycle lanes, widen sidewalks from 8 feet to 14 feet. Put bump-outs on the curb. The bus stop will be moved further down street, a loading zone on west side of street, street scape improvements including trees and planters; additional parking with parallel design (16) and angle (19) from the current 13.

• Concord Avenue between Pleasant and Leonard streets: Near the MBTA Commuter Rail, propose cut into embankment on Concord Avenue to increase the size of the road and gain eight parking spaces; expand the land that was formerly a third rail as green space. On Pleasant Street near the tunnel, propose to fill in the land and make it accessible to the street. 

• Leonard Street between Concord Avenue, Moore Street and Channing Road: Propose to place crosswalks and sidewalks as well as pedestrian islands for crossing in one direction at intersections; enlarge the common space between Moore Street and Concord Avenue into larger green space. 

• Intersection at Concord Avenue and Common Street: Propose to provide some kind of pedestrian accommodation by instituting crosswalk in front of the First Church in Belmont and install flashing beacon to notify motorists when a pedestrian is crossing; extend median on Concord Avenue. Also traffic would be slowed into the intersection by extending out curb on Leonard Street making it one lane.