Dangerous Waltham Intersection To Get Makeover

WALTHAM, MA — There have been about eight crashes a year at the intersection of High Street and Joyce and Hamblin road since 2016 when a new building was built on the corner. Last year, a Newton resident was seriously injured after they were hit by a car crossing the road there. Residents in the area brought the issue up to their city councilor, asking for something to be done. Now, nearly three years later, South Side's City Councilor Cathyann Harris says everything is about to change.

The intersection will soon get a makeover, complete with much more visible crosswalks - and a signal light.

In 2016, when the building that houses Highlander Convenience and the Cherry Lane Day Spa was built at the corner of High Street and Joyce Road, zoning allowed the developers to build right up to the edge of the property, and within 10 feet of the intersection.

"It’s a much improved addition from what we had," Harris said, referring to the new building. "It’s just the unintentional consequence of how it is zoned [that's caused a problem]."

Harris said most intersections across the city are at 90 degree angles, and the zoning for that allows for buildings to be set back 10 feet from the edge of the property. That gives drivers, bikers and pedestrians a good enough view when approaching. The three-way intersection here forms a 45 degree angle, and is one of only 17 similar in the city. The 10-foot set back just isn't enough here, she said.

The two stories took away the line of sight at the intersection for cars planning to turn onto Joyce Road from High and vice a versa. Cars barreling down High Street planning to turn onto Joyce can whip around the corner of the new building and not see the cars at that intersection attempting to edge out into traffic, she said.

The state, which rates intersections, dubbed it a "C" before 2016, after the building went up, the state gave the intersection an "F-."

"It's one of the most dangerous intersections of the city," Harris said. "We've had a significant increase in accidents, we've had pedestrians struck right near there. There's no safe place to cross the street."

The plan is for the addition of well-lit crosswalks across High, Joyce and Hamblin. The traffic light there will only trigger when cars pull up from Joyce and Hamblin.

"This has a lot of safety benefits for the community and people are looking forward to the safety improvements," said Harris.

Several residents came forward asking for something safer back in 2016. Former Councilor Stephen Rourke and then-civilian Harris brought this up to the mayor after neighborhood meetings on it. When Harris took over as councilor, she pushed for the project to get into the capital improvement budget. Last year they worked on the design and held more neighborhood meetings earlier this year. Newton's traffic engineer has also given the green light to the project.

It went before traffic commission in June. And on Friday, the city approved a bid for $240,000 and a request for funding was sent to the mayor's office. Traffic Commission will review it once more on July 30 for final approval. And when funding is finalized and in place, the contract will be signed and notice to proceed will be sent to the awarded installer.

"The goal is to get the signal up by December," said Harris, adding that she's appreciated the mayor's support on the project.

"A new signal will make it more safe to cross not only for cars, but for pedestrians and families who drop their children off at the nearby Whittemore School there," she said.

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).