Safety Solutions Proposed for Berkshire Mall Intersection
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — A speed bump and traffic mirror have been proposed at the reportedly problematic intersection of Old State Road and the Berkshire Mall entrance.
Last week, abutters approached the Select Board with concerns about drivers ignoring stop signs and speeding through the area. Target owns its building and is the lone business left on the property.
"When you turn into Old State Road, our driveways are right there," Judy Bennett said. "Nobody stops, nobody slows down to come around that corner. They go faster and that's where someone is going to get hurt."
Carl Bennett added, "We are taking our lives into our own hands when we pull out during the day."
The Old State Road bridge connects the mall and Old State Road to Route 8. Abutter Pauline Hunt would like to see it closed entirely, making the Connector Road the access point from Route 8.
"That entrance isn't necessary," she said.
"It's chaos. There's an entrance over by the bike path that would serve everybody, there would be no problem, and there are lights at the end of it, it's a dream to get into there. I don't see the reason that chaos is there."
Hunt reported that during recent family emergencies, first responders had trouble accessing her driveway.
"They speed through the stop signs coming out of the mall from Target," she said.
The residents advocated for a stop sign before drivers turn onto Old State Road, as there are stop signs coming from the mall and a stop sign coming off the road. A contributing factor is the stone wall that hinders visibility, they said.
Police Chief Robert Derksen said there have been no reported accidents at the intersection over the last two years but added, "I'm sure there's a lot of near misses."
At first, the Select Board discussed adding two additional stop signs but voted to place a speed bump across Old State Road where there is an existing stop sign. The highway superintendent will also look into a traffic mirror to alleviate the blind spot.
"We've got a starting place," Chair Michael Murphy said.
This isn't the only traffic concern on the mall property that has been brought to the Select Board. Late last year, Derksen and Emergency Medical Services Director Jennifer Weber called attention to a sinkhole near the former Best Buy that had expanded to about the size of a loader's bucket.
The hole was coned off but traffic can still pass by, sparking concern from the first responders.
The mall is owned by JMJ Holdings, which plans to convert it into a senior living facility with condominiums and other commercial uses on the property. Derksen explained that any private property that is open to the public such as a parking lot for a retail establishment becomes a quasi-public way where the law can be enforced.
Since then, jersey barriers have been placed around the hole and it has appeared to expand farther into the roadway.
Tags: Berkshire Mall, intersection,
