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Date: 6/23/2022
WEST SPRINGFIELD — The section of Route 20 at the Westfield line is going on a “road diet.”
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) recently resurfaced a section of Route 20 due to deteriorating pavement conditions and has decided change the road’s lane structure. Beginning at the intersection of Dewey Street in West Springfield and running approximately 1.2 miles until East Mountain Road in Westfield, the road will be reduced to one motor vehicle lane in each direction. The saved space will be converted into a wide painted median, and new bicycle lanes separated from motorized vehicles by rumble strips. The estimated cost of the project is $1.5 million.
Though the road diet is pitched as a traffic-calming measure, West Springfield City Councilor Anthony DiStefano expressed concerns about the effect it will have on traffic safety.
“I agree there is a need for improvement, this may be the cheapest way, but not smartest or best,” he said.
According to MassDOT, “from 2015 to 2018, a safety analysis conducted along Route 20 between the intersections of East Mountain Road in Westfield and King’s Highway in West Springfield reported 212 vehicle crashes, including two fatalities.” In 2019 another fatal crash claimed the life of 25-year-old West Springfield resident Anthony Fierro.
Research conducted by the Federal Highway Administration found that road diets performed on four-lane highways lead to an overall reduction in crashes between 19 and 47 percent. In the case of this stretch of Route 20, MassDOT expects to see a reduction in sideswipes, left-turn and angle crashes, and collisions involving pedestrians and bicyclists.
Funneling all traffic going one way into one lane means motorists won’t be able to pass each other, which MassDOT believes will reduce speeding and result in a more consistent traffic flow.
“This project proposes optimizing signal timing to become more responsive to real-time traffic patterns instead of following a pre-set cycle regardless of traffic volume. This will help to reduce delays, vehicle queueing, and rear-end crashes at these locations,” said Kristen Pennucci, communications director for MassDOT.
These new bike lanes will extend existing bicycle access, recently added along Route 20 in Westfield, through this corridor into West Springfield.
“The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission is currently conducting a study of the Route 20 corridor on behalf of West Springfield that includes the residential sections to the east of the current project limits. While the outcomes of the study are not yet known, it is anticipated to include suggestions for potential improvements to motor vehicle safety and bicycle/pedestrian mobility that would connect to the proposed project,” according to MassDOT.
MassDOT implemented a similar “road diet” last year on southbound Riverdale Street between Elm Street and the North End Bridge. After a trial period where the state monitored traffic conditions 24 hours a day, this change was found to be effective in reducing speeding, and the state made the change permanent.
“They’re not out to make our lives miserable,” said Mayor Will Reichelt in a video posted to his Facebook page discussing the construction.
DiStefano said, however, that motorists forced to slow down in a one-lane stretch often go back to speeding when the road widens again.
“I’ve seen people put the foot to the floor,” said DiStefano. “West of Dewey Street, it’s already difficult to get out of those side streets.”
Without further road diets or additional traffic lights along Route 20 east of Dewey Street, “I don’t see how you don’t exacerbate traffic issues,” he said.
The roadwork is expected to be completed by the end of June.