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Public Works Dispatch assigned this issue to Engineering - Traffic

The intent of the Commercial Vehicle Exclusion is not to have Framingham Road and Farm Road used a "cut through" for truck traffic to and from Route 85 and Route 20.

Commercial Truck Exclusions must be approved by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). An original request for a Commercial Vehicle Exclusion of Framingham Road and Farm Road, in October of 1978 was denied. On August 20, 1980 a second request (per Marlborough City Council Order 20960) was submitted to MassDOT. In a letter from Floyd Russel - Police Chief and Paul Sharon - DPW Commissioner to MassDOT, it stated in part that " Farm Road is a narrow, winding, thickly settled road which joins Route 85 and Route 20. An elementary school is located on this road. The heavy traffic is detrimental to the safety and also the peacefulness of this residential area." MassDOT approved the Commercial Truck Exclusion on February 10, 1981. The 1981 Alternate Route for Commercial Vehicles would be "by way of Maple Street, East Main Street and Boston Post Road". The current Alternate Route would be by way of Maple Street, South Bolton Street, Granger Boulevard, East Main Street and Boston Post Road - East.

Thank you for your quick response. My follow up question is: Why is there not a Commercial Vehicle Exclusion on Brigham Street?

With the exception of the elementary school, the same exact situation exists on Brigham Street: Brigham Street is a narrow, winding, thickly settled road which joins Route 85 and points west of downtown Marlborough. The heavy traffic is detrimental to the safety and also the peacefulness of this residential area.

Farm Road has two full-width lanes and sidewalks. Brigham Street is much narrower without sidewalks. If commercial trucks are excluded from Farm Road, it makes sense that they should be excluded from Brigham Street as well.

Large commercial trucks rumble down Brigham Street on a daily basis. Can a request be made to MassDOT for a Commercial Vehicle Exclusion on Brigham Street please?

In order for MassDOT to grant a Commercial Vehicle Truck Exclusion the commercial vehicle volume for the road should have a range between 5% - 8% and the Alternate Route would have to be approved by MassDOT. In 2002, at the request of the Marlborough Traffic Commission, the DPW contacted MassDOT about having a Commercial Truck Exclusion on Brigham Street. The commercial vehicle percentage of traffic volume was around 2%, and the alternate routes either was through Southborough, which required their permission (that they would not give) or was over Maple Street, South Street, West Main Street, Lakeside Avenue, Williams Street, Clover Hill Street to Brigham Street, which is a bit circuitous. MassDOT stated that Brigham Street was not a good candidate for a Commercial Vehicle Exclusion.

In 2007, the Marlborough Traffic Commission had the DPW - Engineering Division research the possibility of Brigham Street meeting the warrants for requesting a Commercial Vehicle Exclusion. The truck volume was below the minimum required (at 4%) and the Alternate Route could not be shortened, so that was still unacceptable.

Thanks for your detailed reply. Twelve years ago truck volume was only 1% below the requirement for an exclusion. Marlborough and MetroWest traffic have increased significantly since then. Can the Engineering Division revisit this and get a current truck traffic volume on Brigham Street?

I am happy to offer any explanations on traffic related matters, but any traffic related requests have to be made through the Marlborough Traffic Commission. The Traffic Commission meets on the last Wednesday of each month - Contact Police Chief, David Giorgi to have you request put on the agenda and your request reviewed.

Thanks.

I am going to close this issue for the time being. Based on the comments, it appears that any further discussions should be taking place at the traffic commission level. Thank you for using SeeClickFix! - DPW